Images showing American YouTube star IShowSpeed injured in Nigeria are doctored
As part of his African tour, American YouTuber IShowSpeed stopped in Nigeria’s economic and cultural capital, Lagos, where he celebrated his 21st birthday and surpassed 50 million YouTube subscribers. Just hours after his livestreamed visit, posts claiming the streamer had been attacked by a gang in Nigeria circulated widely on social media, accompanied by images purportedly showing him with a facial injury. However, the images were doctored, and there is no evidence that the content creator was attacked during his visit, which AFP journalists covered.
“iShowSpeed was reportedly attacked by road gang members in Nigeria while livestreaming along Ikoyi Road,” reads part of an X post shared on January 22, 2026.
“Visiting a country where cases of child kidnapping are reported daily, and where the police and security agencies often fail to protect citizens, was clearly not a wise decision,” it adds.
Screenshot showing the false X post, taken on January 29, 2026
The post, shared more than 800 times, contains two screenshots from the Lagos stream, purportedly showing IShowSpeed with facial injuries.
The images were shared elsewhere on X in English and in several other languages, including French, Arabic, Spanish, Hausa and Zulu.
IShowSpeed in Africa
On December 29, 2025, IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., launched his first African tour spanning 20 countries in 28 days.
During this tour, the YouTube and Twitch star, who rose to fame 10 years ago through gaming content and subsequent travels around the world, attracted large crowds at nearly every stop (archived here).
In Lagos, he began his visit on January 21 at the popular Balogun Market, in the heart of the city’s Lagos Island district. Surrounded by bodyguards, he was heckled by a crowd demanding money from him (archived here).
However, the images purportedly showing the YouTuber with an injured face have been manipulated.
Doctored images
By conducting keyword searches for IShowSpeed on YouTube, AFP Fact Check found the original video, which was livestreamed on January 21 on the influencer’s main account (archived here).
We reviewed the nearly five-and-a-half-hour video and pinpointed the exact moments used to create the doctored images, notably at 4:21:32 and 4:21:36.
A comparison of the viral screenshots with the original stream footage reveals signs of manipulation: in the original video, IShowSpeed has no facial injuries.
First comparison showing the false post (left) and the original YouTube livestream
Second comparison showing the false post (left) and the original YouTube livestream
Additional keyword searches led us to a different moment at 11’54’’, when one of the streamer’s bodyguards warns him about certain hand signs associated with gangs, after IShowSpeed greeted a passerby.
“Be careful, that’s a gang sign,” the bodyguard is heard saying.
Screenshot showing the transcript where IShowSpeed was warned about a gang sign, taken January 26, 2026
Although mass kidnappings are frequent in Nigeria, often carried out by criminal gangs locally known as “bandits” seeking ransom, nothing in the livestream, the streamer’s social media accounts, or any credible media reports indicates that IShowSpeed was attacked during his Lagos visit (archived here).
AFP journalists based in Lagos also confirmed that “during the time we spent with him, from approximately 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm local time (1230-1700 GMT) — although there were times when we were not present — we did not witness any attack nor hear anything to suggest that an assault had taken place”.
Previous attacks
While rumours of an attack in Lagos are unfounded, IShowSpeed has been targeted during previous visits around the world.
On January 17, during an earlier stop on his African tour, he was hit with water bottles during a football match in Algeria, forcing him to abruptly end the livestream and evacuate the stadium (archived here).
In another incident on July 3, 2024, the streamer was attacked outside a shop in Norway (archived here).
“It was inhuman. They pulled my hair, someone jumped on me […] Norway, sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be back. I love all my fans in Norway, but I have to go to the hospital,” IShowSpeed said live after the incident (archived here).
The French version of this fact-check can be read here.
