Police Clarify Viral Video of Schoolgirl Smoking: Incident Did Not Occur in Nigeria

The Nigeria Police Force has responded to public outcry over a disturbing video circulating widely on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, which shows a school-aged girl smoking what appears to be cannabis while being cheered on by her peers.

The footage, which has triggered concern among Nigerian parents and education stakeholders, was initially believed to have been filmed in a Nigerian school. However, according to a press release issued on Wednesday, preliminary investigations strongly suggest the video did not originate in Nigeria.

Police spokesperson ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that linguistic analysis of the video indicates that those involved were speaking English and Shona—a language predominantly spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of southern Africa. Notably, no Nigerian languages or accents are discernible in the audio.

Further analysis also linked the video’s first appearance to the Instagram account @rusape_celebs_tv, a channel based in Rusape, a town in Zimbabwe. The original caption accompanying the video was written in Shona, further supporting the conclusion that the incident occurred outside Nigeria.

ACP Adejobi urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified content, especially when such materials involve sensitive matters or could cause widespread panic or reputational damage.

“We encourage responsible sharing of information and thorough verification of sources before amplifying potentially harmful claims,” the statement read.

The police reaffirmed their commitment to monitoring digital spaces while working to ensure misinformation does not undermine public trust or societal stability.