CLAIM
A viral post circulating on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), shared by a user identified as Dr Andy Osakwe, features an emotional image of a man identified as Reverend Dachomo kneeling and praying beside an open grave.
The caption alleges that the image depicts recent evidence of a Christian genocide in Northern Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Tinubu in 2025.
FINDINGS
1. Image Verification
A reverse image search reveals that the photo first appeared online in 2023, not 2025. It was published in multiple Nigerian news reports at the time, an example of which can be seen here depicting Reverend Dachomo mourning victims of earlier communal violence.
The image has since been recycled periodically on social media, often used out of context to suggest new waves of attacks or alleged state-backed persecution.
2. Context of the Original Photo (2023)
The original photograph was taken during a mass burial of Christian victims of sectarian violence in Plateau State. Reports from that period confirmed that local clergymen and community leaders were present, including Reverend Dachomo. The image symbolized grief and prayer for peace, not evidence of an ongoing genocide.
3. Misleading 2025 Narrative
There is no verified evidence of a “Christian genocide” in Northern Nigeria in 2025. While sporadic security incidents still occur across parts of the North, the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu has not been linked to any campaign of systematic violence against Christians or any religious group.
Federal security agencies and independent watchdogs have not documented any organized genocidal campaign in the country in 2025.
4. Pattern of Old Images Reused for Propaganda
This incident reflects a broader pattern where old conflict or crisis photos are repurposed on social media to stir ethnic or religious sentiment. Several Nigerian fact-checking platforms — including Dubawa, Africa Check, and AFP Fact Check — have previously debunked similar cases where decade-old photos were falsely presented as new evidence of persecution or genocide.
VERDICT
The image is not recent and does not depict any 2025 event. It has been traced to 2023 and is unrelated to current claims of genocide in Northern Nigeria. Hence claims that the Photo is recent evidence of Christian Genocide is FALSE and OUT OF CONTEXT.
The photo is being misused in 2025 to push a false narrative of a current Christian genocide in Northern Nigeria. While insecurity and communal tensions remain national challenges, there is no verified evidence supporting claims of a state-sponsored genocide against Christians under the current government.