A viral claim suggesting that Nigerian troops shot down an Iranian drone in Sokoto state has been proven false.
On March 2, a Facebook page named DDL Hausa shared a video purportedly showing a downed drone in a grassy area, claiming it occurred in “Dan Musa village,” later amended to “Dan Isah village” in Sokoto.
The post has attracted more than 1,400 likes, 600 comments, and 90 shares. The caption, written in Hausa, reads:
“Wani Jirgin Iran Da Yayi Batan Hanya Ya Tinkaro Najeriya, Tuni Sojojin Nijeriya Sun Samu Nasarar Kakkabo Shi A Kauyen Dan Isah Dake Jahar Sokoto.”
The English translation reads: “A drone from Iran that lost its way and headed towards Nigeria was brought down by Nigerian soldiers at Dan Isah village in Sokoto state.”
The claim emerged amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, following February 28 US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the armed forces chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, along with several family members.
Iran subsequently launched missile attacks targeting US military bases across the region, including in the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman.
BACKGROUND CHECK
Analysis of the video using Google Lens revealed it had been posted by Rudaw, a digital news network in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, on March 1, 2026, via both its X and Facebook accounts.
The video’s original caption stated in English translation: “An Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle crashed in Gırdaçal village, affiliated with Erbil.”
Rudaw’s posts confirm that the drone incident occurred in Erbil, northern Iraq, not Nigeria. Multiple reports indicated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps fired 230 drones at US facilities in the Middle East, including bases in Erbil, Kuwait, and other locations. Two drones reportedly targeted a US base and a hotel in Erbil.
Erbil serves as the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Notably, the DDL Hausa video carries the platform’s logo in the corner, and no credible reports indicate any Iranian drones entered Nigerian airspace since the conflict began.
FINDINGS
The video circulated on social media does not show a Nigerian incident. It depicts a drone crash in Gırdaçal, Erbil, in Iraq.
CONCLUSION
The claim that an Iranian drone was shot down in Sokoto state is FALSE. The footage is from northern Iraq and unrelated to Nigeria.
