Jigawa Residents Fall Prey to Fake N75,000 COVID-19 Grant Alert

A false social media message claiming that the Jigawa State government would be disbursing a N75,000 cash grant to residents who possess COVID-19 vaccination cards caused a commotion in the Gumel Local Government area. The message, which was circulated on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms, instructed recipients to visit the Gumel Local Government secretariat with their vaccination cards to receive the grant. However, upon arrival, many were left disappointed as they discovered that the information was untrue. This development is coming on the heels of a COVID-19 vaccination exercise that took place between 2021 and 2023, during which millions of residents were vaccinated and issued vaccination cards at various health centres across the state's 287 wards. One of the residents, Idris Sani, who travelled 15km from his village to the secretariat, expressed his disappointment, saying, 'I saw on WhatsApp that Corona card holders will collect N75,000 today. I came early but found nothing here.' Another resident, Maryamu Salisu, also shared her experience, stating, 'The rumour was that the government wants to pay vaccinated people. I brought my card, but officials told us it’s fake news.' The Special Adviser to the Chairman on New Media, Hussaini Gumel, has dismissed the claim, describing it as false and without any basis. He urged residents to disregard the rumour and verify information before sharing or taking any action. The Jigawa State Ministry of Health has also denied the claim, with its Public Relations Officer, Sagir Nayaya, stating that the ministry has no record of such a payment. Nayaya advised the public to confirm news from official sources only, saying, 'Verify information from government websites or accredited media before you believe or share it.'