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•Old Images Show Children Abused In Niger Republic, Not Pupils Abducted From Schools In Nigeria

Following the abduction of pupils, students and teachers from multiple schools in Nigeria in May 2026, images have been shared on social media purportedly showing the kidnapped children with visible wounds on their bodies. However, the photographs have been online since 2020 and show a group of children who were beaten by their teacher in Niger.

"These are the bodies of the school children those demons kidnapped in Oyo state," reads the caption of an X post published on May 22, 2026.

"SHAME ON THIS TINUBU GOVERNMENT for this level of pain and anguish the Nigerian Citizens are passing through," it adds. "And this bandits keep releasing videos and pictures, yet we can't track them. Oh God, my heart is broken."

Shared more than 100 times, the post includes two photos showing young children with welts and lacerations on their bodies.

The post attracted sympathy and outrage from online users.

“No child deserves this treatment,” reads one of the comments, while another wrote, “This level of pain on a child, Damn I hate Nigeria (sic).”

The claim was also shared elsewhere (like here, here and here), including on Instagram by Nigerian politician Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.


The post claims that the photos depict some of the children abducted by gunmen on May 15, 2026, from schools in the Oriire local government area in Oyo state.

The state's Governor Seyi Makinde later said that 32 people were kidnapped, including a teacher who was killed. But the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) claimed the total number of abducted children and teachers was 46.

However, the photographs do not show children abducted recently in Nigeria.


NIGER CHILD ABUSE

Using Google Lens to conduct reverse image searches, AFP Fact Check found that the images were published six years ago.

The images were featured in a news report published by a Nigerien online news platform on Facebook on June 7, 2020, alongside other photographs of the children.

"Diffa: A marabout apprehended for abusing talibé children," reads the headline in French.

According to the French report, the children were beaten by their teacher at a Quranic school in Diffa, a region in southeastern Niger.

The photos are credited to Nigerien journalist Lawan Boukar.


Using keywords from the French article, we also found a report by Niger’s state-owned media outlet Le Sahel, detailing the incident in an interview with Elhadj Habou Issa, the Public Prosecutor of the High Court in Diffa (archived here).

Published on June 17, 2020, the interview confirmed the arrest and pre-trial detention of a local Quranic teacher (marabout) following acts of severe physical violence against his young students (talibés).

Issa stated that the suspect faced charges of “voluntary assault and battery with a weapon”.

He added that a crisis meeting with the regional governor, administrative, and religious leaders resulted in key recommendations, including organising a regional conference, launching a comprehensive census to inspect students’ living conditions, and establishing a multidisciplinary framework to oversee Quranic schools.

AFP Fact Check contacted Boukar but he has yet to respond. However, we found a Facebook account in his name where all the pictures were published on June 7, 2020.

“Diffa: A marabout who has beaten his talibés to this point. He was intercepted moments ago by the police and talibés taken to the health centre for treatment. We will have seen everything with the arrival of refugees,” reads the caption of the post in French.

https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.B4PF266

This is an old video, i already know it will be in north, my thinking was all those quranic school teachers might be the one doing tbis to their student

Pigs.. no room for Igbo presidency gbaaaaam 😀😀

Propaganda won't take us anywhere.
Propaganda won't take us anywhere.
Propaganda won't take us anywhere.

Until them use one blogger show example them know go learn

Thank you. Propagating false news will never help us as a natio.

its normal even on bbc news there is this verified news were authentication of images and videos are carried out called bbc verify

in a modern era we need our news agencies to do more to avoid panic and fear.

Is Niger not part of Nigeria 🇳🇬 again

Some people just see every mishap that happen as an opportunity to politically weaponize it against the government.
Even this regime are highly guilty of that because that is how they get to power

I indicated this to someone sharing it all over X and the person insulted me. All because I was killing his narrative. I wonder why once there is a major national issue, some misfits will start digging up false videos and images to fuel the fire.
My prayer remains for the Ogbomosho school children and teachers to be freed as soon as possible. We need them alive. Say a prayer for them tonight.

What a big shame, you're trying to cover up for this failed evil government, whether old or new videos are those children deserves what they're passing through?

Tinubu is a big failure

Opposition and political opponents will capitalise on the present insecurity challenges to make the government look more incompetent. Be reasonable with what you read online

Stellaris:
Pigs.. no room for Igbo presidency gbaaaaam 😀😀

I love when they mention Peter Obi in every post..He enjoys it
Make him more popular like you made Nnamdi popular..

What now is the state of "the children abused in Niger"?

christejames:
Is Niger not part of Nigeria 🇳🇬 again

Niger REPUBLIC !!(A country on its own)...Not NIGER STATE

The enemies of Nigeria are now on overdrive, they have turned the situation into election campaign and will go any length to spread FAKE NEWS AND VIDEOS to further their evil agenda with the intention that it will help them remove Tinubu from power.
Y'all failed to stop Buhari's reelection despite all your agenda, you will fail even more woefully in 2027.
If you think you can use insecurity as campaign tool against Tinubu, you must be living in a fuul's paradise. Remember once again that Tinubu is not GEJ.

-Kiss the truth!

Whether the images are recent or not, it doesn't change the fact that the kidnapped Oyo kids are being brutalised in the Kidnapper's den.

wunmi590:
This is an old video, i already know it will be in north, my thinking was all those quranic school teachers might be the one doing tbis to their student

Niger(country) not Niger state in Nigeria

Stellaris:
Pigs.. no room for Igbo presidency gbaaaaam 😀😀

Well, said. Even if yhu all have to die! Congratulations, bro., yhu won yhurself a medal🤡

I am finding really hard to understand how this is anything. Ok, fine it's not from Oyo kidnapped children....but does that justify the kidnapping of school children?

Though I have a serious issue with the media for always using the wrong visuals in the news especially in a serious case like this.

However, if this is an attempt to absorb the government of their weakness and irresponsibilities, it won't work.


What if the children are even in a worse condition than this? A teacher was beheaded and the principal has been seen crying with a gun held to her head.

Tell me, what can be more cruel than that?

Truth is, some people are very happy with the security challenges in Nigeria especially in the SW .

It gives them opportunity to blast balablu the the south west region. These people will do anything to blow the challenges out of proportion.

It is so unfortunate that we find ourselves in this predicament. The clueless government seems confused and very short of ideas.

Temptation147:
What a big shame, you're trying to cover up for this failed evil government, whether old or new videos are those children deserves what they're passing through?

Tinubu is a big failure

So you are one of the kidnappers,ehn?

bolafez:
Thank you. Propagating false news will never help us as a natio.

Every measure apc used, must be used against them!

Some people even said the images are from Niger Republic..

The fact is these are not best of times in the country..

We are not being truthful to ourselves in this country.
Tribalism and nepotism is has eaten deeply into our bone marrow.

We4all:
Whether the images are recent or not, it doesn't change the fact that the kidnapped Oyo kids are being brutalised in the Kidnapper's den.

Temptation147:
What a big shame, you're trying to cover up for this failed evil government, whether old or new videos are those children deserves what they're passing through?

Tinubu is a big failure

And then Obidients had to go dig up images from Niger republic to push your evil agenda because you think it would help you gather sentiments and angst towards the President.
Ask those before you who did this in the past, they all failed. You towing the same path.

-Kiss the truth!

Fake news purveyors won't like this

Ofemannnu:
So you are one of the kidnappers,ehn?

Can you read?
Because I don't understand your question

Okay, but this happened under APC, so what changed? Oyo or Niger, both were under Buhari/Tinubu disastrous rule.