News
Was the only survivor in the recent Air India crash arrested?
It was one of the worst aviation disasters in recent Indian history.
An Air India Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, 2025, from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, killing over 270 people. The world mourned. Families grieved. News outlets ran 24-hour coverage. And then, about a week later, another story began to surface online.
This time, it wasn’t about tragedy. It was about deception.
A video posted by an Instagram account named @aviationspotting7 claimed that the crash’s lone survivor, a man named Vishwas Ramesh Kumar, had been arrested for faking his presence on the flight.
The voiceover was calm but accusing. It claimed that Kumar was nowhere on the passenger manifest, He had been caught on CCTV at a local shopping mall during the time of the crash, and had lied to gain compensation or media attention.
The caption was damning:
“Truth revealed: Survivor of Air India crash arrested for falsely claiming to be on board.”
The video was shared widely on Instagram and WhatsApp. Hashtags like #TruthRevealed, #AirIndiaCrash, and #FakeSurvivor added fuel.
People were outraged. They accused Kumar of exploiting the deaths of 270 people. Some demanded he be jailed. Others doubted there had been any survivor at all.
But let’s pause. Because there’s a problem with this story.
Actually, several.
First, no credible Indian news outlet reported Kumar’s arrest. That’s unusual, especially given the intense local and international coverage surrounding the crash.
Second, when journalists reached out directly to law enforcement, they got a very different account.
Jaipal Singh Rathore, Additional Commissioner of Police in Ahmedabad, was unequivocal:
“Mr. Vishwas Ramesh Kumar has not been arrested. He is not under investigation for any such claim.”
In fact, police confirmed that Kumar was onboard the doomed flight. He survived—barely—and was treated at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for multiple injuries.
So why the confusion?
Investigators believe Kumar’s survival was due to sheer luck—and seat location. He was seated near an emergency exit, which may have allowed him to escape during the crash’s brief but devastating window.
Following his discharge, Kumar even attended the funeral rites of his brother — one of the victims who perished in the crash. Photos showed him visibly shaken, standing beside grieving relatives.
None of this matches the image painted in the viral video.
So where did that narrative come from?
While it’s unclear who produced the false video, analysts point to a growing trend of AI-generated disinformation. With just a few clips, stock footage, and a synthesized voiceover, anyone can manufacture an alternate reality — one that looks real and spreads fast.
But the damage is also real.
Kumar, already a survivor of a traumatic event, had his name dragged through the mud. He was accused, insulted, and questioned — not for what he did, but for what someone said he did.
The verdict: The claim is FALSE. Kumar was not arrested. He survived the crash. He never lied.
What happened to him was not fraud. It was survival.
And once again, the internet proved that a lie told well can still outrun the truth — unless someone stops to check.
That’s what we do here at WABMA Debunker.
Breaking News
Did Cardi B Confirm Dating Nigerian Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye? The $300,000 Monthly Rumour Debunked
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Did Cardi B Confirm Dating Nigerian Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye? The $300,000 Monthly Rumour Debunked
Did Cardi B Confirm Dating Nigerian Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye? The $300,000 Monthly Rumour Debunked
VERDICT: FALSE
Social media has been buzzing with claims that American rapper Cardi B has confirmed she is dating Nigerian Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
Some viral posts go further, alleging that Okoye pays Cardi B $300,000 every month to be his girlfriend.
The posts also attribute statements to Cardi B suggesting she would not mind having a baby with the goalkeeper because he is “a good man” and “a great keeper too.”
The claims have attracted considerable attention online, but an investigation by WABMA Debunker found no credible evidence that Cardi B made these statements or publicly confirmed the alleged relationship.
What Is the Claim?
Viral social media posts suggest that Cardi B and Maduka Okoye are romantically involved, with some claiming that the Nigerian international pays the rapper $300,000 monthly.
Other posts attribute quotations to Cardi B expressing admiration for Okoye and a willingness to have a child with him.
However, the posts do not provide credible original sources to substantiate the alleged statements.
What We Found
WABMA Debunker searched for interviews, videos, verified social media posts and credible entertainment reports containing the statements attributed to Cardi B.
We found no credible evidence that she made the alleged statements.
What is established is that Cardi B and Maduka Okoye have been seen together publicly.
In July 2026, the pair were spotted sitting together at Paris Fashion Week. They were later seen together again at a dinner in Venice, Italy. These appearances triggered widespread speculation about the nature of their relationship.
However, being seen together does not amount to confirmation of a romantic relationship.
Following their Venice appearance, TMZ reported that there was still no confirmation that Cardi B and Okoye were anything more than friends. Other entertainment reports also described the relationship as speculation rather than a confirmed romance.
What About Cardi B’s Response to the Rumours?
The speculation intensified following allegations made about Okoye by his former partner, Jelicia Westhoff, on social media.
Cardi B subsequently addressed the stream of stories surrounding her dating life.
In audio reported by TMZ, she complained about the rumours and false stories that emerge whenever she is seen with someone.
However, Cardi B did not confirm in that audio that Maduka Okoye was her boyfriend.
Neither did she say that he pays her $300,000 every month.
WABMA Debunker also found no credible interview, video or verified social media post in which Cardi B said she wanted to have a baby with Okoye because he was “a good man” or “a great keeper.”
The supposed quotations appear in viral social media posts, but we could not trace them to a credible original source.
Verdict: FALSE
The claim that Cardi B confirmed she is dating Maduka Okoye and said he pays her $300,000 every month is FALSE.
Although the rapper and Nigerian goalkeeper have been seen together on several occasions, those appearances have fuelled speculation rather than established a confirmed romantic relationship.
As of our verification, neither the reported confirmation nor the sensational quotations attributed to Cardi B have been substantiated.
Whether the two have a private romantic relationship is a separate matter. The available evidence does not establish that either Cardi B or Maduka Okoye has publicly confirmed one.
Photographs can fuel speculation, but speculation is not confirmation, and a viral quotation is not evidence that someone actually said it.
Always Fact-Check Before You Share
WABMA Debunker is a fact-checking initiative of the West Africa Broadcast & Media Academy, dedicated to investigating viral claims, misinformation and misleading content circulating online.
Our goal is to promote responsible information sharing and strengthen media literacy.
Don’t engage. Don’t amplify. Verify before you share.
Visit www.wabma.org for more fact-checks and media literacy content.
A message circulating on social media claims that Access Bank will shut down its banking operations in September 2026.
But is the claim true?
In Episode 128 of the WABMA Fake News Debunker, we examine the circulating message and verify the claim using statements from Access Bank, Access Holdings, and credible reports.
🔎 Verdict: FALSE
Access Bank has denied the circulating shutdown notice, describing it as false and misleading and stating that it impersonated the bank’s official communication channels.
Access Holdings also confirmed that the publication was false and unauthorised, stating that there had been no change to Access Bank’s operations or financial condition.
This episode highlights why it is important to verify financial information before sharing it or taking action based on it.
Watch Episode 128
🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
WABMA Fake News Debunker – Episode 128
Have a claim you want us to fact-check?
📲 Send it to WABMA via WhatsApp: 0902 547 8072
📱 Social media: @wabmaonline | @wabmaacademy
Verify. Fact-check. Inform.
🌐 Visit: projectfactchecknigeria.org
#WABMA #FakeNewsDebunker #FactCheckNigeria #AccessBank #Misinformation #Nigeria
Did Cardi B Confirm Dating Nigerian Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye? The $300,000 Monthly Rumour Debunked
Did Cardi B Confirm Dating Nigerian Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye? The $300,000 Monthly Rumour Debunked
