Fact-Check: Viral Burning Torture Video Of Young Girl Did Not Occur In Nigeria

Rita Enemuru, Reporting.

On June 4th 2026, a highly disturbing video of a completely naked woman being tortured with fire on her private parts was shared on various WhatsApp groups. The footage showed a young woman who was completely naked, tied and suspended above a deliberately lit fire. Her legs were spread open, with her genitals directly exposed to the flames as she screamed in agony.

The audioless video which was shared multiple times on WhatsApp groups, was captioned: “Your Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I write this with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart, as a Nigerian and as a mother.

“Every day, we wake up to news of killings, kidnappings, and atrocities that no human being should ever witness. Bandits and terrorists are butchering our people across the country. Our villages are being raided, our children abducted, our women and girls violated, and our men slaughtered like animals.

“I have just seen a video that will haunt me forever. A young girl, stripped naked, her hands tied open, her legs forced apart, and fire set to her body while these monsters watched. They were roasting her alive.

“Mr. President, this is not war. This is savagery. And it is happening on Nigerian soil, to Nigerian children, while we ask: where is the state? Where is the protection we were promised?

“Our people are not safe.
The girl child is not safe.
Our children are not safe.
None of us are safe.

“We are asking: where do we run to? Where are you leading us to? How long will you keep quiet while this nonsense continues every single day?

“Mr. President, leadership means protecting lives first. No economy, no reform, no foreign trip matters if citizens are being slaughtered in their homes and farms. The people are tired of press releases and condolences. We need action. We need security forces that are equipped, present, and accountable. We need intelligence that works before the killing starts, not after. We need justice that is swift and visible.

“I am sharing this because I can no longer keep quiet. I am sharing this because I feel the pain of that innocent girl as if she were my own daughter. And I know millions of Nigerians feel the same pain in silence.

“Please, sir, break your silence with action.
Stop the killings. Secure the country. Save our children.
History is watching, and so are we.

“Signed,
A Nigerian Mother
A Nigerian Citizen Who Still Believes Nigeria Can Be Safe Again.”

VERIFICATION

Thorough checks conducted by Stonix News revealed that the video also made rounds on X between April 23rd and 24th 2026 with the claim that it was Fulani Bandits that were torturing a Nigerian citizen. One X user, @MunaBoy001 captioned the video thus: “This is a video of Fulani bandits torturing a Nigerian citizen which was videoed and posted online. They haven’t been tracked or neutralized.

Another X user, @ArcSadam also posted the video which gathered thousands of views.

The video was muted on X and WhatsApp to hide the language of the perpetrators and the victim.

Checks also revealed that the video originated from Benin Republic and was shared on several social media platforms where it went viral on April 23rd, 2026.

According to a report published by West Africa Democracy Radio on April 30th, suspects of the video were arrested days after the video went viral.

The report with the headline: Benin: Suspects Arrested after Viral Torture Video Sparks National Outrage read thus: “Several suspects are now in police custody in Benin following a shocking case involving the torture of a young woman by burning.

Graphic: VIEWERS DISCRETION ADVISED

The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, has sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over violence against vulnerable persons.

“The Republican Police of Benin say they acted swiftly to launch an investigation, leading to the arrest of multiple suspects. Authorities have also appealed to the public for additional information as efforts continue to ensure all those responsible are brought to justice.
‘The case has intensified calls for stronger protections and accountability measures to address rising cases of extreme violence in the country.”
The medium also broadcasted the report in French.

Checking further, Stonix News stumbled on a video posted on Instagram by a verified Instagram page, Brute.afrique where the full details of what happened was revealed in French.

According to Brute.afrique, the incident took place in the municipality of Sémé-Podji, about 30 kilometres east of Cotonou and that the girl was being tortured because she stole a mobile phone.

The English translation of the video read thus: “A viral video in Benin shows a young girl tied up and suspended above a wood fire after being accused of stealing a mobile phone. The police have opened an investigation. Here is what happened.

“The incident took place in the municipality of Sémé-Podji, about 30 kilometres east of Cotonou. In the video, several individuals are seen filming a young girl whose hands are tied to a piece of wood while she is suspended above a fire burning beneath her.

“The girl can be heard crying out for help while several people nearby mock her. One of them says, “Keep screaming, help is already on the way.” Another remarks, “You are a bad person. Do you think a mobile phone is easy to buy?”

“Residents of the neighbourhood told local media that the girl had been accused by those who tied her up and suspended her over the fire of stealing a mobile phone. They also alleged that chilli pepper had been inserted into her private parts.

“Several people eventually intervened to free her, and she was later taken to hospital in critical condition.

“In a statement released a few hours after the video surfaced, the Beninese police condemned what they described as acts of torture by fire.

“Such actions constitute a serious violation of the fundamental rights of the human person and breach constitutional provisions which state that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment,” the statement said.

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“According to the police, an investigation has been opened to identify and locate the individuals involved in the incident shown in the video.

“A few hours later, during the 8 p.m. news bulletin on the national television station, Huguette Bokpègnon Akplogan, President of the National Institute for Women, stated that the young girl had been placed under care and was receiving medical, psychological, legal, and judicial support commensurate with the suffering she had endured.

“She also urged internet users to stop sharing the video in order to avoid further exposing the victim.

“According to Huguette Bokpègnon Akplogan, some of the suspected perpetrators have already been arrested, while investigations are continuing to locate the others.

“The police have also issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward.

VERDICT

The claim that the torture video was that of Fulani bandits torturing a Nigerian citizen is FALSE AND MISLEADING. The audio of the video was purposely muted to drive a narrative with the aim to fuel fears of insecurity already plaguing the country.