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Daily Trust- FACT CHECK: Did Kano Government Distribute underwear to Women as Empowerment Gifts?
A viral post on social media alleges that the Kano State Government distributed pants to women as empowerment or campaign gifts.
The claim is accompanied by photos showing women holding red underwear, with captions suggesting the items were officially handed out by the government.
Findings
Given the sensitivity of the claim and the already tense political climate in Kano State, Daily Trust conducted a verification.
Image Verification (ELA Analysis)
Error Level Analysis (ELA), a forensic technique used to detect image manipulation, was applied to the viral images.
In a typical, unedited image, most areas show similar levels of brightness or “noise” because they are compressed uniformly.
In the suspected doctored image, a noticeably brighter patch appears on the pants. This inconsistency suggests that part of the image was edited or inserted separately before being recompressed.
In the original version, brightness and noise levels are more uniform across the same area, indicating no alteration.
In simple terms, the bright patch in the viral image is a red flag, suggesting that the photo was tampered with.
Further forensic checks confirm that the original image was altered to insert the image of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, creating the false impression that he personally distributed the underwear.
Source of the Viral Content
Checks show that the images were extracted from a viral video featuring supporters of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Gida-Gida TikTokers.
The video was recorded during the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Kano on Thursday.
In the footage, the group is seen displaying red pants in front of the Kano Government House while chanting songs mocking Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
They repeatedly used the phrase “Dan kamfan tsula” (loosely translated as “Tsula’s pants”).
“Tsula,” a Hausa term for a small monkey, is often used as a derogatory label in local political rhetoric targeting Kwankwaso. The term gained popularity through songs by APC praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara.
Narrative Distortion
The video reportedly surfaced through a TikTok influencer known as Teemah Cool, a leader among the Gida-Gida TikTokers. It quickly triggered backlash, particularly from Kwankwaso’s supporters, who condemned the act as indecent and reflective of declining political standards.
Teemah later defended the action, stating she did not regret leading the display. She argued it was a response to earlier actions by Kwankwasiyya supporters, who had publicly waved wrappers while chanting “Falle daya ce” (implying Governor Yusuf would serve only one term).
Public Reactions
A Facebook user, Wali Halliru Habib, defended the act, writing:
“We will chant it again, Tsula’s pants… Just because we said Tsula’s pants and you are saying we are wrong? We will continue to say it.”
Another user, Sanusi Yahuza, condemned it, stating: “This is very wrong. Who is Tsula again? What kind of thinking is this?”
Sule Ya’u Tariwa, Special Reporter with the Kano State Government, also criticised the act: “I have never seen such foolishness done in the name of politics. This is madness in its rawest form.
There are different approaches to express political opinions or to send a message to opponents, but this one defies reason.”
Reacting to the doctored “empowerment” images later, he added: “The damage has been done, and no amount of explanation can convince these people otherwise. God forbid.”
Timeline Insight
Findings show that the “pants empowerment” narrative only began circulating on Friday, a day after the original video of the political stunt.
This indicates that the claim was a later distortion, not part of the actual event.
Context
Nigeria’s political space is often rife with misinformation, especially during politically charged periods. Satirical or provocative acts are frequently taken out of context, edited, and recirculated as factual claims to mislead the public or discredit opponents.
In this case, a political stunt was repurposed into a false narrative using doctored visuals and misleading captions.
Verdict: False.
The claim that the Kano State Government distributed pants to women as empowerment or campaign gifts is false. The viral content originated from a political stunt by supporters, and the images were digitally altered to misrepresent the situation
