Did Kano Governor Distribute Pants to Women as Empowerment Gifts? What We Know So Far

A viral claim on social media alleges that Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf distributed underwear to women as empowerment or campaign gifts. The claim has sparked outrage and heated debate across Nigeria’s political space.

But what is the truth? Ejes Gist News has conducted a thorough investigation.

 

 

The Claim

Multiple posts on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok have circulated images showing women holding red underwear. Captions accompanying the photos suggest the items were officially handed out by the Kano State Government as empowerment packages for women.

Some posts specifically linked the alleged distribution to Governor Yusuf, using the images to mock or condemn his administration.

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Our Findings

When Error Level Analysis (ELA) — a forensic technique used to detect image manipulation — was applied to the viral images, red flags emerged.

In the suspected doctored image, a noticeably brighter patch appears on the underwear. This inconsistency suggests that part of the image was edited or inserted separately before being recompressed.

In the original, unaltered version, brightness and noise levels are uniform across the same area, indicating no tampering.

Verdict on the images: The viral photo was altered to insert the image of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, creating the false impression that he personally distributed the underwear.

 

Where the Images Actually Came From

Further investigation by Ejes Gist News traced the original content to a video featuring supporters of Governor Yusuf, popularly known as Gida-Gida TikTokers.

The video was recorded during the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Kano on Thursday.

In the footage, the group is seen displaying red pants in front of the Kano Government House while chanting songs mocking Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. They repeatedly used the phrase “Dan kamfan tsula” — loosely translated as “Tsula’s pants.”

“Tsula” is a Hausa term for a small monkey and has become a derogatory label in local political rhetoric targeting Kwankwaso. The term gained popularity through songs by APC praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara.

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Narrative Distortion Timeline

The Ejes Gist News investigation established that:

– Thursday: The original video of the political stunt was recorded during the First Lady’s visit.
– Friday: The “pants empowerment” narrative began circulating online — a full day after the original event.

This timeline strongly indicates that the claim was a later distortion, not part of the actual event.

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Public Reactions

Wali Halliru Habib, a Facebook user, defended the act:

 

MWe will chant it again, Tsula’s pants… Just because we said Tsula’s pants and you are saying we are wrong? We will continue to say it.”

But Sanusi Yahuza condemned it:

 

This is very wrong. Who is Tsula again? What kind of thinking is this?”

Sule Ya’u Tariwa, Special Reporter with the Kano State Government, criticised the act sharply:

I have never seen such foolishness done in the name of politics. This is madness in its rawest form.”

 

 

 

Reacting to the doctored “empowerment” images, he added:

“The damage has been done, and no amount of explanation can convince these people otherwise. God forbid.”

 

 

Context Matters

Nigeria’s political space is often flooded with misinformation, especially during politically charged periods.

Satirical or provocative acts — like the underwear display by Gida-Gida TikTokers — are frequently taken out of context, edited, and recirculated as factual claims to mislead the public or discredit opponents.

In this case, a political stunt was repurposed into a false “government empowerment” narrative using doctored visuals and misleading captions.

 

 

Our Verdict

False.

The claim that the Kano State Government distributed pants to women as empowerment or campaign gifts is false.

The viral content originated from a political stunt by supporters, and the images were digitally altered to misrepresent the situation. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his administration were not involved in any underwear distribution.

 

 

What You Should Do

Before sharing any viral claim, pause and verify.

• Check the source of images using reverse image search
• Look for the original video or context
• Be wary of claims that appear designed to provoke outrage

Ejes Gist News remains committed to factual reporting and holding power to account — without spreading falsehoods.

 

If you see a questionable claim, send it to Ejes Gist News for verification.

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Fact-Check Desk, Ejes Gist News