This message, which is currently circulating via Facebook, Whatsapp, and other social media sites, warns people in Nigeria not to drink coke until further notice because it may be poisoned.
According to the warning, some South African workers in a Nigerian based Coca Cola plant have deliberately poisoned the beverage, resulting in the deaths of seven people.
The message suggests that the motive for the supposed contamination is the “war going on between Nigerians and South Africans”.
Although South Africa and Nigeria are not at war, a series of recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa has fueled animosity between the two nations. A number of people have been killed as a result of this xenophobic violence.
A September 9, 2018, BBC news report notes:
Nigeria says it will repatriate some 600 citizens from South Africa after a wave of xenophobic violence which led to tensions between the two countries.
Some will leave on two flights on Wednesday, Nigeria’s Consul General in Johannesburg told the BBC.
Ten people, including two foreigners, were killed in the city last week when mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses.
However, there are no credible reports that support claims that Nigerians have died after drinking Coke poisoned by South African workers. There are no news reports or health warnings related to the alleged contamination incident. It appears that the claim has no factual basis.
Tensions in the region are certainly concerning. However, spreading bogus contamination rumours will only make things worse. If this false warning comes your way, please don’t spread it further by sharing it.
An example of the hoax message:
it was said that some of d south Africans working in coca cola company in Nigeria has poisond d coca cola drink
it was also said that about 7 people were found dead and they discovered that it was d coke drink that killed them. Please do not drink it till further notice
Pass dis message to all ur family, friends and loved ones to save their lives
Importance Notice
After considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank You
I would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing Date
Hoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.Thank you, one and all!
Brett Christensen,
Hoax-Slayer
