AI-generated video falsely claims Nigeria announced it would send troops to Israel
- Published on June 26, 2025 at 11:03
- 5 min read
- By Edie TWELLS EASTWOOD, AFP Africa
Copyright © AFP 2017-2025. Any commercial use of this content requires a subscription. Click here to find out more.
A text overlay on the TikTok video reads: “Breaking: Nigeria announces peace support deployment to Israel.”
Part of the caption under the video reads: “Breaking: Nigeria deploys troops in support of Israel’s peace operations.”
“Footage obtained by TBC News shows Nigerian troops being mobilised and briefed for a non-combative, cooperating training mission overseas,” it adds.
The post, published on June 17, 2025, has been shared more than 6,100 times.
The video contains different clips edited together in the style of a news report.
It opens with what appears to be a news segment from a channel called TBC News, with a presenter in a studio speaking to the camera.
The second clip shows a military official giving a press conference, calling the purported move to deploy Nigerian troops “a friendship mission”.
A third clip shows soldiers marching and climbing into a vehicle, and two more videos show military aircraft overhead, including a helicopter flying the Nigerian flag. The video then cuts back to the presenter.
The post was published after Israel and Iran exchanged airstrikes for 12 days before US President Donald Trump announced on June 23 that Iran and Israel had agreed to a staggered ceasefire (archived here).
However, the claim that Nigeria announced the deployment of troops to Israel is false.
AI-generated content
Firstly, a Google search revealed that there is no TV station called TBC News.
While the Tanzanian Broadcasting Corporation is known as TBC, its logo is different than the one shown in the TikTok video. The name is possibly a play on Nigeria’s 24-hour news channel TVC News.
Secondly, a closer look at the various video clips reveals several flaws commonly found in AI-generated content.
For example, the news presenter’s clothes change between the first and last clip, though they are supposed to be part of a continuous news segment. There are also noticeable changes to the shape of his face and hair.
Moreover, his voice sounds distorted and robotic throughout.
Although we did not find any exact matches for this clip online, the footage resembles content created by an X account known for sharing AI-generated news clips with the same TBC News logo.
The second segment of the TikTok video, showing a military official giving a conference, also features a robotic voice.
The voice says: “Nigeria is proud to extend its strategic defence training to key global allies.”
However, the coat of arms with a crown that can be seen behind him is not that of Nigeria. Nigeria's coat of arms does not contain a crown.
The crest seen in the video does not match any Nigerian national military symbols, either.
During military briefings in Nigeria, both the national flag and the defence flag are usually present in the background which is not the case in the TikTok video (archived here).
When it is viewed full screen, it also becomes apparent that there is something unusual with the cameraman seen on the right.
The display screen on his camera does not quite show the scene he is supposed to be filming: there is no coat of arms behind the military official and the movements do not match.
These factors suggest this clip is also AI-generated.
The next video clip, which shows soldiers marching, appears overly smooth and fluid, which can be another sign of AI use.
In addition, the video glitches as the soldiers step into thin air while climbing into the vehicle.
Re-used footage
However, the two clips showing military aircraft flying overhead are real footage of a recent airshow that took place over Lagos in May 2025.
According to the local press, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) warned locals of the presence of these aircraft in advance (archived here).
A video showing the same helicopters carrying the Nigerian flag was posted on Instagram on May 12, 2025 (archived here). The caption specifies that it was filmed in Lagos.
The Nigerian government has not announced sending any troops to Israel or in support of Israel. It condemned Israel’s initial strikes on Iran in a written statement.
“The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria condemns Israel’s preemptive strike on Iran that has led to an escalation of hostilities between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel, marked by sustained missile and aerial exchanges across both territories,” reads the statement published on June 14, 2025.
AFP Fact Check has previously debunked other videos around the Israel-Iran conflict here and here.
Is there content that you would like AFP to fact-check? Get in touch.
Contact us
