Fact-Check: Fabricated Headline Falsely Links Peter Obi to Ethnic-Profiling Statement
Claim: Peter Obi said, “Stop ethnic profiling. Not only Igbos involved in Lagos ₦2bn Fake Drinks Burst,” in a report published by Punch Newspapers. Verdict: False. Full story A screenshot circulating...
Claim: Peter Obi said, “Stop ethnic profiling. Not only Igbos involved in Lagos ₦2bn Fake Drinks Burst,” in a report published by Punch Newspapers.
Verdict: False.
Full story
A screenshot circulating online purports to show a Punch Newspapers front-page report quoting Peter Obi as warning against ethnic profiling following a raid on a suspected counterfeit-drinks facility in Lagos.
X User @sistaliano posted on 14 October 2026. The X post contained a front page attributed to PUNCH Newspapers’ 13th October 2026 publication, with the headline “Stop ethnic profiling. Not only Igbos involved in Lagos ₦2bn Fake Drinks Burst—Peter Obi.”
Attached to the post is the caption “Just look at this Oloriburuku ffs. Why is this man like this?” Jesus 😳🙆🏽♀️”
The X post
The post has generated reactions, with some suggesting that the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) is dishonest.
At the time of writing this report, the post has generated over 58,000 views, more than 1,000 likes, and almost 400 reposts.
On October 13, 2026, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced that its operatives had uncovered a suspected counterfeit drinks facility at Zamfara Plaza, within the BBA Trade Fair Complex in Lagos State.
A report published by Punch that day, titled “VIDEO: NAFDAC uncovers fake drinks factory in Lagos, arrests two,” detailed the operation.
According to the report, two men were arrested over the alleged relabeling and repackaging of expired drinks, including Bullet Energy Drink, Don Julio tequila and Jameson whiskey. At the time the report was published, the suspects’ identities had not been disclosed.
The Cable also reported the raid on October 13, describing the suspected facility, the products and materials found there, and the two arrests. Its report did not substantiate the quotation attributed to Obi in the circulating screenshot. Read the report.
However, findings by NDRFactCheck show that the claim is false.
Searches for the exact headline did not locate a matching report on Punch’s website or an independent, credible source confirming that Obi made the statement. The available evidence does not support the attribution; hence, we subjected the screenshot to verification.
An image verification carried out using Hive Mode AI, an AI detection tool, found that the image contains 99% artificially generated content, showing that it was generated using artificial intelligence.
Result from Hive Moderation
Additionally, a post from the official Instagram page of PUNCH Newspapers showed the original front-page publication of the said date, and it has no similarity with the viral screenshot.
Original publication of the 13th October front page
What about the ₦2bn figure?
The amount mentioned in the screenshot refers to a genuine development.
In a report published on October 14, Channels Television said NAFDAC had uncovered more than 20 illegal stores involved in counterfeit alcoholic-beverage operations at the Trade Fair Complex. The agency valued the products seized and evacuated during those operations at more than ₦2 billion.
However, the existence of the raid and the reported value of the seized products does not authenticate the alleged Peter Obi quotation. A genuine news event can be used as the backdrop for a fabricated headline or a statement falsely attributed to a public figure.
Conclusion
The screenshot presents a headline attributed to Punch Newspapers, but searches did not establish that the newspaper published the report or that Peter Obi made the quoted statement. While the NAFDAC raid and the reported ₦2 billion seizure are supported by credible news coverage, the quotation remains unverified and should not be circulated as authentic.
Readers should consult the original publication and verified statements from the person concerned before sharing politically sensitive quotations, particularly those that could inflame ethnic tensions.
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