Spreading fake video on the President of Finland

 

Alexander Stubb
Separatists spread fake video of the Finnish president

Kristoffer Satisfied

Published 08.49

Alexander Stubbs' video has been manipulated for propaganda purposes by separatists in Nigeria. Photo: Screenshot From

A video on X that has been shared nearly 900 times and has 33,000 views shows Finnish President Alexander Stubb pledging support for separatists in Nigeria.

But Stubb's speech is taken out of context.

He is actually talking about Ukraine.

In the video, Stubb is heard saying (translated from English):

"Finland's winter war lasted 105 days, your war has lasted ten times longer. We understand what you are going through, we will support you as long as it takes. We support you because it is morally right. We support you because you are fighting for yourself independence, but we also support you as you fight for Europe's security."

The clip was posted on an X-account run by a-supporter with profile picture with Finnish Marshal Mannerheim's statue in the background. The account has 11,000 followers.

In the video, Stubb shares the screen with the Finnish-Nigerian activist and self-proclaimed leader of the Biafra government-in-exile, Simon Ekpa, who was arrested by the Finnish Central Criminal Police in November on suspicion of terrorism in Nigeria.

In the fake format, one could think that Stubb is speaking to the separatists in Nigeria who want to create the country of Biafra.

Crucial seconds cut away

But the news agency AFP's fac checkers saw through with the help of

the manipulated video clip. In the original video, President Stubb expresses Finland's support for Ukraine.
 

The original clip was published on Stubbs' X account on November 19, and it clearly states that it is about Ukraine.

The original clip is 35 seconds long and starts the same way as the one shared by the pro-Biafra account but is a few seconds longer.

In the manipulated version, the last seconds where Stubb says: "The fight in Ukraine is our fight. Slave Ukraine!"

He never mentions Nigeria or Biafra.