FactCheck: Is it true 520 bodies were discovered in Anambra during Obi’s tenure, poverty increased by 38.7% under his leadership?

By Pascal Ibe

An X user named Sarki. has claimed that during Peter Obi’s tenure Anambra as governor, 522 bodies were found in Anambra & Abia State, including over 50 bodies floating in the Ezu River. Poverty increased by 38.7% under his leadership.

The X user also said Mr Peter Obi also invested state funds in his family beer business.

He wrote, “During Peter Obi’s tenure as governor, 522 bodies were found in Anambra & Abia, including over 50 bodies floating in the Ezu River. Poverty increased by 38.7% under his leadership, and he also invested state funds in his family beer business. But he’s supposedly Nigeria’s messiah.

During Peter Obi's tenure as governor, 522 bodies were found in Anambra & Abia, including over 50 bodies floating in the Ezu River. Poverty increased by 38.7% under his leadership, and he also invested state funds in his family beer business. But he’s supposedly Nigeria’s messiah

— Sarki. (@Waspapping_) August 8, 2024

The post made on August 08, has generated more than 200k views and 400 reposts as at the time of writing this fact check.

However, many users doubted if these claims are actually true.

Mr Peter Obi was the governor of Anambra State under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 17 March 2006 to 3 November 2006, when he was impeached. He was reinstated on 9 February 2007 and continued his tenure until 2010. He was reelected for his second term until 7 March 2014.

Claim 1 —
520 bodies found in Anambra and Abia

FactWatch searched thoroughly everywhere but couldn’t find any concrete evidence that supports this claim that 520 bodies were found in Anambra and Abia during Peter Obi’s tenure Anambra State governor.

Also no credible news organization in Nigeria reported this at any time.

Verdict

This Claim 1 is UNPROVEN.

Claim 2 —
50 Bodies In Ezu River

According to a report by Vanguard in 2013, the people of Amansea and their neighbours in Awka, the Anambra State capital, were, shocked when they saw bodies floating on the Amansea River that empties into Anambra River from Agba Ogwudu River in Enugu State.

The news stated that some people from the communities, who went to fetch water from the river in the morning, discovered the bodies floating slowly, with some wedged on the banks of the river.

The people, it was gathered, after counting up to 50 bodies, alerted their traditional ruler, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, who mobilized his cabinet for an emergency meeting after which the state government and the state police command were contacted.
The stench from the decomposing bodies could be picked from about one kilometer from the river and the development attracted many people to the area.

In another report by Premium Times on February 2013, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, said that the corpses found floating in a river in Anambra State were its members.

A report released by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law Anambra State indicted the police for the killing and dumping of corpses inside the Ezu River, Amansea in the state in 2013.

The rights group alleged that the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the Anambra State Police command was responsible for the homicide.

Verdict

Various reports have confirmed that this Claim 2 is CORRECT.

Claim 3 —
Poverty Increased By 38.7% Under Peter Obi’s Leadership

Fact-checking this claim, according to statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the National Poverty Rates For Nigeria: 2003-04 (Revised) and 2009-10 (Abridged Report). The report showed that Anambra had 41.4% state-level headcount per capita poverty measure in 2003-04 and 53.7% in 2009-10.

“The National Poverty Rates For Nigeria: 2003-04 (Revised) And 2009-10 (Abridged Report) capture poverty rates across Nigeria with the Absolute Poverty Approach (using a per capita approach of assigning 3000 calories requirement for an adult).

FactWatch couldn’t find official data report on the poverty rate between 2011 – 2018 by NBS.

This is to say that based on data from the (NBS), Anambra’s state-level headcount per capita poverty increased from 41.4% in 2003-04 to 53.7% in 2009-10.

Verdict

The X user claimed that poverty increased by 38.7% under Obi’s leadership as Anambra governor, but official data shows higher percentage.

Therefore, this Claim 3 is UNDERSTATED

Conclusion

According to findings, Claim 1 is UNPROVEN, Claim 2 is CORRECT while Claim 3 is UNDERSTATED.