The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said that a viral video showing a schoolgirl smoking cannabis, which has caused worry among parents and on social media, did not happen in Nigeria but in Zimbabwe.Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, made this known in Abuja on Thursday.
He advised Nigerians to be careful about spreading unverified information, especially on social media.According to him, “The Police have seen a disturbing video going around on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. It shows a school-aged girl smoking what looks like cannabis, while her classmates cheer her on.”
He explained that many people claimed the video was from a Nigerian school, which raised alarm among parents and the public.“But after looking into it, we can say the video is most likely not from Nigeria. All signs point to Zimbabwe,” Adejobi said.
He noted that the people in the video were speaking English and Shona—a language spoken mostly in Zimbabwe and parts of Southern Africa.“There was no Nigerian language or Nigerian accent heard in the video,” he added.
He also said the video was first posted on an Instagram page, @rusape_celebs_tv, which is based in Rusape, a town in Zimbabwe. The caption with the original post was written in Shona.The Police urged Nigerians to stop spreading such videos without knowing the full facts. “Sharing unconfirmed videos or posts can cause unnecessary panic and harm individuals and communities,”the statement said.
