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Introduction
The security situation in Imo State has transitioned from a period of high volatility to a phase of gradual recovery as of early 2026.
This shift is primarily attributed to successful military operations that have reclaimed critical “no-go” zones, such as the Lilu–Eketutu Road in Anambra and Imo States, and the destruction of insurgent strongholds in Orsu Local Government Area of the state.
By clearing IED factories and dismantling militant camps, security forces have significantly disrupted the operational capacity of non-state actors in the region.
Many communities and council areas in Imo State, for instance, Orsu and Okigwe Local Government Areas of the state have been ravaged by insecurity in the last five years, shortly after the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was arrested in Kenya and brought back to the country by the Nigerian government.
Kanu was tried and jailed for life in 2025 over terror activities.
Claim
As the Nigerian military continues to clamp down on the remaining terrorists in the troubled areas in Imo, recently, the Nigerian Army posted photos of operations dislodging the hoodlums, and reopened a road closed by the gunmen for almost three years.
In a statement, the army shared images and details of local bombs and arms recovered from the terrorists.
In the statement, the army said it had burst a bomb factory operated by the terrorists in the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
The photos posted on social media by the army have a watermark and blurred Google Geolocation details attached to each of the images.
However, some Nigerians, especially on the X platform, have criticized the army, claiming that it recycled old images from different past operations to depict a breakthrough in Imo State recently.
Quoting the army post on X, a user, Raul, shared two watermarked photos of the recent operation, but with unblurred geolocation showing these images from Lagos and Oyo States in 2024.
The X user wrote, “The Nigerian army claimed to have destroyed a bomb factory in IMO state, but posted photos taken in Ikorodu, Lagos state. No wonder they blurred the image.”
Another X user, Nedu, corroborated Raul’s claim and asked, “Since when do we have a local government named Ikorodu, Lagos, in imo state?”
The claim was also published by Parallel Facts, an online newspaper.
Verification
First, a closer look at the two photos shared by the X users indicated that the first one showed that the army had the operation in Ikorodu in Lagos State in May 2024. The second photo showed that the location of the operation was Oke-Ogun in Oyo State, also in May 2024.
GPS cameras and app-based GPS map cameras work by integrating signals from satellites with the image-capturing process.
The camera’s GPS receiver determines the exact location (latitude, longitude, altitude) and time, then automatically embeds this data into the photo’s EXIF metadata or stamps it directly onto the image.
Debunking this claim, the primary evidence that points to the fact that these geolocations attached to the images are false is that, according to the details of the GPS maps stamped into the images, despite being from different locations, the exact time when the photos were taken is the same.
Date in first image is 22/5/2024 and time, 14:30, 15. This was also seen in the second image.
It is important to note that if these were old and from 2024, a simple Google Image Reverse Search would have confirmed it by bringing out social media posts from that time.
Also, there is no reputable news organization in Nigeria that reported that the bombs in the photos were found in either Lagos or Oyo State in 2024.
A deeper check by FACTWATCH Nigeria led us to other images by the X user, claiming that they were also old.
However, after a thorough search by this fact checker, it was discovered that some of the same images were posted on a Facebook page, Kesh Orsu TV Channel, by a community leader who is familiar with the recent army operation.
The images shared on the Facebook page do not have a watermark.
In the post, the community leader said photos were from recent joint military operations in the area.
A soldier who was part of the military personnel that carried out the operation, confirmed to FACTWATCH Nigeria on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Nigerian Army, that the photos were authentic and recent.
An X user said to be from the area, posted a video clip of operation on X.
Verdict
The claim that the Nigerian Army posted old images from Nigeria’s South-west states to depict a recent military operation in Imo State, is therefore FALSE.
Credit: FactWatch Nigeria
