Open in app Sign up Sign in Write Sign up Sign in ![\\"\\"](\\" # FALSE: These photos of a network mast on fire in Nigeria are not from 2019 ## The photo is of an MTN mast in Akwa Ibom in Nigeria that caught fire in December 2015 ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" PesaCheck · Follow Published in PesaCheck · 3 min read · Sep 5, 2019 \-- Listen Share ![\\"\\"](\\" Photos published on Facebook purported to be of a fire set by Nigerians on a MTN network mast to retaliate xenophobic attacks on Nigerian citizens in South Africa are FALSE. The post and its accompanying photos allege that the MTN mast was set on fire due to MTN’s South African ownership, and it was shared after reports emerged of Nigerians and other foreigners being attacked in South Africa. However, a reverse image search reveals that the photos in the post are from a 2015 fire in Akwa Ibom in Nigeria, not in 2019 as the post claims. MTN is a South African mobile telecommunications company with a presence in 21 African countries, including Nigeria where it is the largest mobile operator. Following the recent wave of xenophobic attacks targetting foreigners in South Africa, a number of retaliatory attacks have been reported in Nigeria, including one on an MTN shop in Ibadan that was vandalized. MTN Nigeria temporarily closed all its outlets in the country as a precautionary measure. In a statement announcing the closure, MTN Nigeria confirmed that the company’s facilities, customers and stakeholders had been the subject of attacks in retaliation for the ongoing xenophobic situation in South Africa, and the attacks had been reported in Lagos, Ibadan and Uyo. PesaCheck has looked into the claim that a photo of a burning MTN mast in Nigeria is from 2019 and finds it to be FALSE. This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as _potential misinformation_ on Facebook and other social media platforms. By partnering with Facebook and similar social media platforms, third-party fact-checking organisations like PesaCheck are helping to sort fact from fiction. We do this by giving the public deeper insight and context to posts they see in their social media feeds. Have you spotted what you think is fake news or false information on Facebook? Here’s how you can report. And, here’s more information on PesaCheck’s methodology for fact-checking questionable content. ![\\"\\"](\\" This fact-check was written by PesaCheck Researcher _James Okong’o_ , was edited by PesaCheck Deputy Editor _Ann Ngengere_ and was approved for publication by PesaCheck Managing Editor _Eric Mugendi_. ![\\"\\"](\\" PesaCheck is East Africa’s first public finance fact-checking initiative. It was co-founded by _Catherine Gicheru_ and _Justin Arenstein_, and is being incubated by the continent’s largest civic technology and data journalism accelerator: _Code for Africa_. It seeks to help the public separate fact from fiction in public pronouncements about the numbers that shape our world, with a special emphasis on pronouncements about public finances that shape government’s delivery of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) public services, such as healthcare, rural development and access to water / sanitation. _PesaCheck_also tests the accuracy of media reportage. To find out more about the project, visit ___pesacheck.org_ _._ ![\\"\\"](\\" Follow Us ![\\"\\"](\\" Like Us ![\\"\\"](\\" Email Us PesaCheck is a joint initiative of _Code for Africa_, through its _innovateAFRICA fund_, with additional funding support from the _International Budget Partnership (Kenya)_ and _Twaweza_, in partnership with a coalition of local media organisations, and the _International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)_. ![](\\" ## Sign up to discover human stories that deepen your understanding of the world. ## Free Distraction-free reading. No ads. Organize your knowledge with lists and highlights. Tell your story. Find your audience. Sign up for free ## Membership Read member-only stories Support writers you read most Earn money for your writing Listen to audio narrations Read offline with the Medium app Try for $5/month Kenya Nigeria South Africa Xenophobia Fact Checking \-- \-- ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" Follow ## Written by PesaCheck 5.8K Followers ·Editor for PesaCheck Are they lying? Kenya’s 1st fact-checking initiative verifies statements by public figures. A @Code4Kenya and @IBP_Kenya initiative, supported by @Code4Africa. Follow Help Status About Careers Press Blog Privacy Terms Text to speech Teams
MTN mast on fire is of 2019 Xenophobic attacks