Recently, questions surrounding the whereabouts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have intensified across Nigeria’s media and digital space, following the circulation of an image purportedly showing the President in a private meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris. The image, released by the Nigerian Presidency, was presented as evidence of the President’s engagement in high-level diplomatic discussions abroad. However, a closer examination of the image and surrounding circumstances has triggered widespread public skepticism and raised concerns about its authenticity.
The controversy began when President Tinubu, through his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, @officialABAT, announced that he had held a private lunch with President Kagame in Paris to discuss global affairs and Africa’s positioning in an evolving international landscape. The post was subsequently amplified by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who shared the same image on Facebook, identifying the meeting as having taken place on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
Almost immediately, social media users and digital forensic observers noted that the image carried a visible “Grok” watermark, an identifier associated with AI-generated or AI-enhanced images produced through the Grok artificial intelligence platform. The presence of this watermark significantly undermined public confidence in the image and sparked accusations that the photograph may not reflect a real-world event.
Further fueling doubts was the complete absence of confirmation from the Rwandan side. President Paul Kagame, who is typically active in publicly acknowledging diplomatic engagements, made no reference to any meeting with President Tinubu. His most recent public communication focused solely on congratulating Guinea’s newly elected President, Mamadi Doumbouya. A review of Kagame’s official social media accounts, personal news platform, and public communications revealed no indication that he had travelled to Paris or participated in any bilateral engagement with the Nigerian President.
To assess the credibility of the Presidency’s claim, 9News Nigeria conducted an extensive verification exercise across multiple Rwandan information channels. Leading Rwandan media organisations, including The New Times and Kigali Today, carried no reports of President Kagame visiting France or holding talks with President Tinubu. Likewise, official Rwandan government platforms and gazettes provided no confirmation of such a trip or meeting.
Direct efforts to obtain clarification were also made. 9News Nigeria contacted the Rwandan Presidency, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and editorial staff at The New Times. None of the institutions contacted could confirm that President Kagame had left Rwanda or that a meeting with President Tinubu had taken place in Paris. An editor at The New Times, who requested anonymity, acknowledged awareness of the Nigerian Presidency’s announcement but stated that they could not independently verify the claim.
In response to the growing backlash, the Nigerian Presidency dismissed suggestions that the image was artificially generated. According to reports by Vanguard Newspaper, presidential aides insisted that the photograph was authentic but had been enhanced for clarity, describing claims of AI fabrication as false and misleading. The Presidency maintained that the meeting did occur as stated.
Meanwhile, THISDAY Newspaper published a report supporting the Presidency’s position, asserting that President Tinubu departed Nigeria on December 28, 2025, for Europe and later held a private lunch with President Kagame in Paris. However, 9News Nigeria notes that this account remains uncorroborated by independent foreign sources, particularly from Rwanda, where confirmation would ordinarily be expected for a meeting involving the country’s head of state.
The controversy is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened political sensitivity. President Tinubu has been notably absent from Abuja in recent weeks, with his last confirmed public appearances limited to religious and cultural events in Lagos. His silence following major international developments—including the reported U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—has further fueled speculation and uncertainty regarding his current status and location.
Taken together, the lack of corroboration from Rwandan authorities, the absence of independent media confirmation, and the presence of an AI watermark on the image shared by the Presidency raise serious questions. While the Nigerian government insists that the meeting occurred, 9News Nigeria’s findings indicate that the image used to substantiate the claim appears to have been AI-generated or AI-altered, and that the alleged Paris meeting cannot, at this time, be independently verified.
Verdict:
As of the time of this fact-check, there is insufficient verifiable evidence to confirm that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met President Paul Kagame in Paris. The authenticity of the image released by the Presidency remains in doubt, and the President’s whereabouts have not been conclusively established through independent confirmation.
This report will be updated should new, verifiable information emerge.
