Viral video of girl smöking cánnábis not from Nigeria — NPF clarifies

The Nigeria Police Force has responded to widespread public concern over a viral video showing a school-aged girl smoking what appears to be cannabis while being encouraged by her peers, clarifying that the incident did not occur in Nigeria.

The video, which has circulated extensively on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, has sparked alarm among Nigerian parents and members of the public, with many believing it was filmed in a Nigerian school.

However, preliminary investigations by the Force suggest that the video originated from Zimbabwe, not Nigeria.

According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the language spoken in the video—English and Shona, points to Zimbabwe as the likely location.

Shona is predominantly spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of Southern Africa.

The statement reads:

“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a deeply concerning video currently circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, depicting a school-aged girl smoking what appears to be cannabis, surrounded and cheered on by her classmates.

“The video has been widely shared with captions suggesting the incident occurred within a Nigerian school, prompting significant concern, and anxiety amongst Nigerian parents and the wider community. However, preliminary investigation into its origin strongly suggests that the video did not originate in Nigeria, with multiple indicators pointing towards the video’s likely origin being in Zimbabwe.

“The evidence supporting this conclusion includes the language spoken within the video. Individuals featured are heard speaking in both English and Shona, the latter being a language predominantly spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of southern Africa. Critically, no Nigerian languages or discernable Nigerian accents are present in the audio. Furthermore, the original upload of the video was accompanied by a caption written in Shona, with its initial posting on the Instagram channel #rusape_celebs_tv, a channel which is demonstrably based in the town of Rusape, Zimbabwe.

“We urge the public to exercise caution when sharing unverified information, particularly when it involves sensitive content and carries the potential to negatively impact individuals, organizations, and entire communities. The Force strongly encourages responsible sharing of information and thorough verification of sources before amplifying potentially harmful claims.” [CONTINUE READING HERE]>>>>>