No, viral video doesn't show Boko Haram attacks on military bases in Nigeria's Yobe state
IN SHORT: A video circulating on Facebook in Nigeria in 2026, with the claim that it shows a recent Boko Haram attack on military bases in Yobe state, is misleading. The footage has been online since 2024.
Several Facebook users in Nigeria have posted a video in May 2026, supposedly showing a Boko Haram attack on two military bases in Yobe state, northeastern Nigeria.
The video shows armed men jubilating and chanting "Allahu 'Akbar", an Arabic phrase meaning "God is greater" used frequently by Muslims, after what appears to be a successful military operation. It also shows a military vehicle and a burnt armoured tank as gunshots fill the air.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
One post dated 12 May is captioned: "Boko Haram Terrorists attacked two military bases In Yobe, K!lled dozens of soldiers, policemen in Governor Buni's hometown."
The claim comes against a backdrop of continued insecurity in northeastern Nigeria.
On 24 April, local media reported that troops of Operation Hadin Kai had killed 24 terrorists during an attack on a military site in Kukareta, Yobe State.
Operation Hadin Kai is the Nigerian military campaign against Boko Haram and associated armed groups.
In another incident, a commanding officer and some soldiers were killed by suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province terrorist group in Magumeri, Borno state.
According to reports, at least 13 military bases across Nigeria, mainly in Borno, have been attacked since January.
The same video with the same claim was found here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But does the video show a "recent" attack in 2026? We checked.
Old video
Africa Check broke down the video into frames and ran a Google reverse image search, which showed it has been online since 2024.
The video was posted on X on 17 March of that year, captioned as showing "Fulani terrorists" celebrating after an attack on Nigerian soldiers.
It also appeared in a post on 29 February from the X account of Simon Ekpa, with the caption: "Where is Musa and his accomplices? @HQNigerianArmy."
While Ekpa's post did not identify when or where the attack happened, it confirms the video has been online since at least February 2024, well before the claimed 2026 attack in Yobe State.
Ekpa, a pro-Biafran separatist figure, was sentenced to six years in prison on terrorism charges by the Finnish government on 1 September 2025.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Although the original source of the video is unclear, it predates 2026 and is not linked to any recent attack.
The claim is misleading.
The same video and claim was found here, here, here, here, here and here.
