A viral video falsely portrays Donald Trump promising to liberate Biafran secessionists in Nigeria, but it has been confirmed as AI-generated. The video misrepresents Trump’s statements, which were cut from a legitimate discussion about a separate issue. The spread of this fabricated content highlights the ongoing tension surrounding Biafran independence efforts and the manipulation of social media narratives.
A video suggesting that former President Donald Trump pledged to ‘liberate’ Biafran secessionists in Nigeria has been confirmed as AI-generated. The clip, posted on February 18, 2025, has garnered significant attention on social media, shared over 2,000 times. It claims Trump stated, “After I finish with the Ukraine war in Russia, I will turn to Nigeria to liberate the Igbo people of Biafra.” This video was shared by a Facebook page advocating for Biafran independence.
The Biafran secession movement has a contentious history, stemming from a civil war in the late 1960s. Notable figures such as Simon Ekpa, who claims the title of Biafran prime minister, and Nnamdi Kanu, the movement’s founder, have faced legal challenges for their roles in advocating for independence. Despite this, the video purportedly featuring Trump has been flagged for inconsistencies.
Upon further examination, the footage displayed notable defects around Trump’s mouth and chin, indicative of artificial video generation techniques. Additionally, visible marks from a video creation website suggest manipulation. An original, unaltered video of Trump dated January 14, 2021, revealed he made no references to Nigeria or Biafra, reinforcing the claims surrounding the AI-generated nature of the footage.
In conclusion, the viral video claiming Donald Trump expressed support for Biafran secessionists has been proven to be artificially generated. Despite its dissemination by proponents of Biafran independence, the inaccuracies and the technology used to create the video raise significant concerns about its authenticity. The historical context of the Biafra movement and ongoing legal issues surrounding its leaders underscore the complex nature of the situation in Nigeria.
Original Source: factcheck.afp.com
