Did Boko Haram Take Over Nigerian Army Barracks? Fact Emerges As Video Goes Viral
- Since 2009, Boko Haram and its factions have launched an uprising in northern Nigeria, which has displaced several people
- Despite the Nigerian armed forces' speeches assuaging the fears of citizens, the situation remains difficult to completely eradicate
- A viral X post alleged that the Islamist extremists carried out a significant incursion into military bases in Nigeria
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 5 years of experience in fact-checking.
Maiduguri, Borno state - An X (formerly Twitter) user, @K3lv1nB0b0, claimed that Boko Haram outlaws took over several Nigerian military barracks recently.
@K3lv1nB0b0 alleged in a nearly two-minute video posted on Sunday, October 12, that Boko Haram terrorists celebrated their purported victory in West Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng reports that in Nigeria, activities of Boko Haram elements have led to about 38,683 mortality, 2.5 million displacements, and an estimated 952,029 children drop-outs. Boko Haram gained international notoriety in April 2014 when it kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, in Borno state. At the height of its powers in 2015, Boko Haram controlled huge areas in Borno state before being beaten back.
The caption of @K3lv1nB0b0's video tweet reads:
“Boko Haram taking over many Nigerian military barracks and rejoicing for their victory."
The video can be viewed below:
The footage shows several trucks transporting heavily armed men across a vast stretch of land. Gunfire echoes throughout the video as the men speak in an unidentified language, some cheering loudly.
The clip is filmed by one of the men, who repeatedly turns the camera toward himself and then back to the environment.
The claim that it was Boko Haram militants who were reportedly rejoicing after taking over “many” Nigerian military barracks has since gathered over one million views.
It has also garnered over 3,000 likes, 2,900 reposts, more than 1,300 bookmarks, and over 1,000 comments.
But how true is the claim? Legit.ng checked.
Verification of Boko Haram-related claim
We conducted a reverse image search of the video and found that it was posted on Facebook in September.
Going by the Facebook’s page details, it was posted by a Sudanese account.
A clearer version of the video, uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday, October 1, provided supporting details.
The camouflage that the men in the video wore also bore crests of the Sudanese flag.
Following this scrutiny, we found that the claim that the men in the video are Boko Haram terrorists is false. The footage was not recorded in Nigeria.
Source: Twitter
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Explosion rocks military barracks in Borno
In a previous story, Legit.ng reported that panic gripped residents of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, as multiple explosions rocked the Giwa Barracks in the early hours of Thursday, May 1, 2025.
The incident reportedly began at about 12:05 am, with residents in the vicinity forced out of their homes by the sounds of loud blasts and the sight of red flares lighting up the sky around the barracks.
Legit.ng reports that men of the fire service stormed the scene, with sirens sounding all around the area.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
