Fact Check: Viral Kogi Flood Picture Not Recent, Was First Used In 2012

A viral flood picture depicting the effect of the recent floods in Kogi state has been fact-checked and appeared not to be recent.

Naija News gathered that the picture, which shows houses submerged under the flood water, was reported to have first surfaced in 2012.

A report in The Nation shows the results from a reverse image search with the use of Tineye turned up 94 results, a further refining of the search showed that the image was first used in 2012.

However, the picture had gone on a rampage on various social media platforms and on some online news media showing the effect of the Lokoja flood.

According to the report, some International Agencies were also found to have used the viral picture in their reportage about the flood incident in Kogi state.

The fact-checked Kogi flood picture.

The results from the fact check however indicate that the viral picture was not taken in 2022, and therefore is misleading.

Meanwhile, Naija News reported earlier that succour came the way of flood victims in Kogi state, as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yakubu Ajaka, donated N70 million to affected victims.

Ajaka, in a statement, said the donation was aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the victims in the affected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The APC chieftain said he was so moved by what he saw when he visited victims in the affected local government areas and decided to do something to assist.

“As my widow’s might, l made a donation of N70 million to the eight local government areas badly affected in the state,” he said.

Ajaka said the donation was received by designated officials in each of the local government areas, who will map out strategies to ensure that the funds reach the victims.

On how the donation should be disbursed, Ajaka said that Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Ibaji, Bassa, and Koton Karfe LGAs are to get N10 million each, while Igalamela-Odolu, Idah, Omala and Ofu LGAs are to receive N5 million each from the fund.

Ajaka added that with proper documentation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and with the maximum cooperation given by the local government chairmen and other stakeholders, “I’m very sure there will be fairness and equity in the distribution of the funds.”