By Boluwatife Adedokun
A video circulating on social media platforms, such as Facebook and twitter claims to show a school in Northern Nigeria where students are being taught how to assemble an AK-47 rifle as part of their practical lessons.
The video, widely shared with captions such as “See what Northern primary/secondary school are being taught as their practical, wahala dey for our future”, sparked outrage, with many users expressing concern over the alleged militarization of children in the region.
As of the time of reporting, the video had 394 views and 20 reposts on Twitter. On Facebook, different versions of the video had varying engagement metrics: one had 4 likes, 5 comments, and 9 shares; another had 1 like and 5 shares; a third had 16 shares, 9 comments, and 10 additional shares; while another had 1 like and 3 shares. In terms of views, one version had 1.6k, another 8k, and another 6.4k.
However, a closer look at the video reveals that it is neither from Nigeria nor related to any Nigerian school system.
Insecurity in Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria has been grappling with significant security challenges, including insurgencies by groups like Boko Haram and the emergence of new factions such as Lakurawa.
Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has resulted in the deaths of approximately 35,000 civilians and the displacement of over 2 million people. In May 2023, over 100 individuals were killed in attacks in Plateau State, highlighting the ongoing violence in the country.
In 2024, Nigeria recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths, according to Global Terrorism Index.
The Lakurawa group, initially formed as a self-defense militia, has evolved into a radical organization with alleged ties to extremist factions.
Active since around 2016 or 2018, Lakurawa operates in Northern Nigeria, Mali, and Niger, enforcing strict religious laws and imposing taxes on local communities.
Verification
To verify the claim, we examined the circulating video for contextual clues, such as the setting, school uniform and language spoken while assessing the footage for signs of editing, staging, or manipulation.
It was observed that the language spoken in the video is not any indigenous to Nigeria such as Hausa, Fulfulde, Tiv, Gbagyi, Kanuri which are commonly spoken in the region.
A Google reverse image search was done on key frames extracted from the video to trace its origin. A keyword search was also done to find out if similar claims or videos had surfaced elsewhere, using terms like “school children AK-47 training” and “primary school rifle lessons”.
The Google Lens reverse image search and keyword analysis of the video led to multiple earlier versions of the footage, all identifying the location as South Sudan.
A Facebook post correctly captioned the video as:
“CBC in South Sudan Grade 7, how to mount an AK-47 assault rifle. Here in Kenya, they are learning how to use a catapult to kill birds.”
Further checks on YouTube and Facebook confirmed that the video had been shared multiple times with references to South Sudan, where some educational programs incorporate military training.
Conclusion
The claim that the viral video showing a Northern Nigerian school teaching students how to assemble AK-47 rifles is false.
The footage originates from South Sudan, where some schools have been documented engaging in military training.
There is no evidence to support claims that the footage originated from Nigeria, nor that any Nigerian primary school includes military drills involving firearms in its curriculum. The Nigerian Universal Basic Education system does not incorporate weapon-handling training at any level.
Why This Fact-Check Matters
Misinformation, especially on sensitive issues like education and security, can have serious consequences. This false claim about Northern Nigerian pupils being trained to assemble AK-47 rifles could fuel unnecessary fear, reinforce harmful stereotypes, and deepen existing divisions.
Also, the claim has the potential to spread rapidly on social media, inciting unnecessary fear, outrage, and panic among the public.
Unverified allegations of militarized education could heighten tensions in an already sensitive region, where security concerns like insurgency and banditry are prevalent, amplifying public distrust or hysteria.
By fact-checking such content, we prevent the spread of false narratives that could mislead the public and damage trust in Nigeria’s education system.
This verification has been produced with support from BO Foundation For Inclusive Media (Bottom) and WITNESS.
