By Emmanuel Oluwadola
Claim: Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, alleged on X that Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, was accorded a military guard of honour during an event organised by the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network (CADETN) and that firearms were used at the ceremony.
Full Text
On 29 December 2024, a former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, in a press release signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, tweeted a claim on X, along with a video, that a military guard of honour was accorded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu at a programme organised by the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network CADETN in Ogun State.
Atiku also said that military firearms were used by the CADETN. As of December 31, 2024, the tweet was reposted by 105 people with 137 likes and 44 quotes.
Screenshots of Atiku’s press statement
Comments under the post showed that some X users believed Atiku’s claims. For instance, North Watch @SalihuIbra60974 commented, “This highly condemnable and unacceptable. The north voted for PBAT not Sheyi. Where was Sheyi when his dad lost Lagos in 2023 general election? Time to stop this abuse so as not to further tarnish our image globally. (sic).” Similarly, Ayo Aluko, CNA commented, “This is a show of shame…Seyi Tinubu isn’t a public officer and should be accorded such whether it is a commissioned cadet or not…it’s an abuse of power.. shameful 😂😂. (sic)”
Screenshots of the post engagements on X
However, some X users disagreed with Atiku. Wale Adebayo commented, “Even a partially blind man will know that this is just a paramilitary group. Atiku has remained a loser for years because of the level of reasoning of the people he has surrounded himself with. Smh. (sic).” Opeyemi Odesola quotes, “Are you saying Atiku is that ignorant to know this ain’t the military? Na this man wan be commander in chief of the Armed forces? (sic).”
Given the vitality of Atiku’s statement and its relevance, we conducted this fact-check.
Verification
Claim 1: Military honour was accorded to Seyi Tinubu
Atiku Abubakar claimed that a full military honour was accorded to the Nigeria President’s son, Seyi Tinubu during the ceremony.
Critical analysis of the video showed that the guard of honour was performed by CADETN, a private youth organization with no affiliation with the military or Armed Forces.
According to CADETN’s official Facebook page, the Cadet Network Nigeria is a voluntary youth organisation established to empower the Nigerian youth through training, mentorship and community service and not a military organisation.
The uniform worn by members of this paramilitary entity is their paramilitary ceremonial dress and can be found here, here and here.
CADETN ceremonial uniform
Also, the Nigerian military has debunked the claim that a military guard of honour was accorded Seyi Tinubu by men dressed in military uniform.
According to Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, the personnel in the video are unknown to the military, stating “They are not our personnel. We don’t dress that way. We don’t have this type of badge of rank. We don’t know them”.
The statement from Gusau can also be found here, here and here.
Similarly, the CADETN’s Corps Commander, J. G. Fatoye in a statement also confirmed that the organisation is a youth uniformed organisation and not a military outfit without any affiliation with the military or Armed Forces.
Fatoye added that the guard of honour was not only accorded to Seyi Tinubu but also to other dignitaries and high-ranking officials, a common ceremonial gesture to welcome dignitaries at its events as a sign of respect and appreciation.
Verdict: False
The claim that a military honour was accorded to Seyi Tinubu during the programme organised by CADETN in Ogun State is false. No military regalia was used and the guard of honour was performed by the CADETN, a paramilitary voluntary youth organization not military personnel.
Claim 2: CADETN used firearms
Atiku through his press release further claimed that the Community Auxiliary Development for Effective Transformation Network (CADETN) used firearms in the parade shown in the video.
The release reads in part: “What is even more alarming is the brazen use of firearms by civilians in this so-called parade — at a time when illegal arms proliferation is at a dangerous high in our country (sic)”.
A close examination of the video revealed that the objects held by the uniformed CADETN group during the guard of honour are wooden carved rifles, used by paramilitary for ceremonial and rehearsal purposes, particularly for mounting guards of honour.
Indications of wooden dummy rifles
Nigeria military rifle
Wooden dummy rifles
Analysis of the video showed that the wooden dummy rifles have no triggers and other features of military rifles.
We found similar dummy rifles from some of the ceremonies held by another paramilitary here.
The CADETN’s Corps Commander, J. G. Fatoye also confirmed that any weapon seen in the video is that of the security details of the dignitaries and not that of the organisation.
The men bearing real rifles in the video did not partake in the guard of honour and they appear to have escorted dignitaries to the event.
Some security officers seen holding firearms in the video
Fatoye’s statement reads: “We will like to state categorically that no ammunition was used and no military paraphernalia was used during the guard of Honour as peddled by critics. The guard of Honour was mounted using wooden dummy rifles as it is practice among other uniform organizations. Any weapon seen in the video is that of the security details of the dignitaries and not that of the organization. (sic)”.
Verdict: False
Atiku’s claim that the Cadet Network Nigeria (CADETN) used firearms in the parade is false, as evidence shows they used wooden carved rifles instead.
Conclusion
The claims by Atiku Abubakar that Seyi Tinubu received a military guard of honour and that firearms were used during the CADETN event in Ogun State are false. Investigations revealed that the guard of honour was performed by CADETN, a paramilitary youth organisation unaffiliated with the Nigerian military, and the rifles used were wooden dummy rifles for ceremonial purposes.
