Nigeria: Video Shows Ghanaian Officer Who Rescued Fire Victims, Not Nigerian Cop Who 'Killed Six Armed Robbers'

2 September 2026
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Muktar Balogun

IN SHORT: Some Facebook posts claim that a viral video shows a Nigerian police officer who killed at least six armed robbers while protecting community members. But the officer is Ghanaian. Hance Atubra was promoted after rescuing people from a fire in Aboso, western Ghana.

Several Facebook users claim a brave Nigerian police officer has killed at least six armed robbers while protecting community members.

As evidence, they have posted a video of a group of people who appear to be celebrating a man in police uniform.

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Part of one post, dated 29 August 2026, reads: "Mr Anthony ,a very a brave police officer , around 3pm a whole street was r*bbed by 7 armed men and he was the only one on duty , they started exchanging bullets , to cut it short he got 6 of those heavy armed men down."

The video is overlaid with the text: "This is indeed a brave Police ... Inspector Hance! May God Bless you Aboso is so proud of you." It makes an additional claim that the officer further took down another 15 armed men called in as reinforcements.

The same video and claim were found here, here, here, here and here.

But does the video show a Nigerian police officer who protected a community from armed men? We checked.

Video of Ghanaian officer who rescued fire victims

A Google reverse image search of keyframes from the video led to earlier posts featuring the same footage and identifying the man as a Ghanaian police officer.

In a tweet on its official X account, the Ghana Police Service identified the officer as Inspector Hance Atubra. The police said Atubra was promoted to chief inspector for saving lives during a fire in Aboso, western Ghana, on 26 August.

According to the X post, Atubra was the first officer to arrive at the scene and helped trapped people.

A closer look at the circulating video shows that the officer's uniform bears the Ghanaian police emblem and the name "Hance", matching the identity stated in the police statement on X.

A keyword search led us to a longer version of the video and news reports in Ghanaian media on Atubra's promotion.

There is no report from the Nigerian Police Force or credible Nigerian media outlets confirming the alleged incident.

The video does not show a Nigerian police officer who single-handedly killed several armed robbers, as claimed on social media.

Misrepresenting real footage from another country can make fabricated crime stories appear credible and distort perceptions of insecurity.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. X @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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