FACT CHECK: Did Nyesom Wike, Rotimi Amaechi Engage in a Physical Fight During a Church Service?
By Daniel Otera
A video circulating widely on social media, flagged by Grassroots Check, claims that “Nyesom Wike and Rotimi Amaechi fought during a church service.” The footage shows two men in a physical scuffle, with bystanders stepping in to separate them, and a woman’s voice is heard saying, “He is the one doing the work in this country.” The claim, which originated from a Facebook page called Agozi Comedy in July 2025, has sparked significant attention due to the high-profile status of Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State Governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, and Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.
To verify the authenticity of this claim, Grassroots Check conducted a thorough fact check, analyzing the video, its context, and other relevant sources.
Analysis of the Video
Grassroots Check began by analyzing the video itself. A screenshot was subjected to a Google Lens search, which traced its origins to a public hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) held at Nigeria’s House of Representatives on January 28, 2021. The altercation in the video was not between Wike and Amaechi, but involved representatives from Niger Delta host communities disputing who had the legitimate authority to speak on behalf of these communities. The disruption occurred amidst ongoing debates over the PIB’s provisions, particularly the proposed 3% allocation to the Host Communities Development Trust Fund (HCDTF). A report from Vanguard Nigeria on January 29, 2021, confirmed the fight disrupted the proceedings, but Wike and Amaechi were not involved in the incident.
Further analysis revealed that the video did not take place during a church service, as the social media claim suggested. The footage depicts a formal environment with rows of chairs and a crowd, typical of a legislative hearing, not a church service. There are no religious symbols such as crosses, altars, or pews, which would be expected in a church setting. Grassroots Check also noted that the woman’s statement, “He is the one doing the work in this country,” was ambiguous and did not refer to either Wike or Amaechi, nor was it accompanied by any evidence to identify who she was speaking about.
Grassroots Check cross-referenced the video with reports from the time of the event. Credible reports from Premium Times Nigeria and The Cable on January 29, 2021, confirmed that neither Wike nor Amaechi were involved in the altercation at the PIB hearing. Furthermore, no reports from that period indicated that either figure was present at the event.
The video originated from Agozi Comedy, a Facebook page known for posting humorous or satirical content. Grassroots Check reviewed the page’s activity and found that it frequently shared exaggerated or fabricated stories to drive engagement, which is a common tactic in Nigeria’s social media landscape. A 2023 Reuters Institute report on misinformation during Nigeria’s 2023 elections noted that platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp are often used to spread false narratives. Fact-checking organizations, like Grassroots Check, regularly debunk similar claims.
The Agozi Comedy post misattributed the 2021 PIB hearing footage to a fictional church brawl involving Wike and Amaechi, likely in an attempt to capitalize on their high-profile rivalry for viral attention.
The political history between Wike and Amaechi has been marked by a rivalry that began when they were once allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Wike, a key political figure, supported Amaechi’s 2007 gubernatorial bid, as Wike himself revealed in a 2021 BBC Pidgin interview: “I was the one God used to make Amaechi governor.” However, their relationship soured after Amaechi defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, leading to public feuds. Despite their verbal clashes, Grassroots Check found no record of them engaging in a physical fight, let alone one in a church setting.
To address the claim of a church service altercation, Grassroots Check explored recent incidents involving Wike and churches. On July 7, 2025, Sahara Reporters covered Wike’s controversial remarks during a service at All Saints Anglican Church in Wuse, Abuja, where he criticized political opponents. This prompted the Anglican Church to ban politicians from speaking during services, as reported by Premium Times Nigeria on July 13, 2025. Amaechi was not mentioned in the reports, and no physical altercation occurred.
A 2015 report by The Point NG also noted that Wike and Amaechi attended separate church services to celebrate a tribunal ruling, but these events were political, not conflicts.
The January 28, 2021, altercation during the PIB hearing stemmed from disagreements between host community representatives over the provisions of the bill, particularly the 3% HCDTF allocation. Grassroots Check’s findings revealed that the altercation involved host community representatives, not Wike or Amaechi. The PIB, aimed at reforming Nigeria’s oil sector, generated significant controversy over the allocation, with communities demanding a larger share. Grassroots Check confirmed that neither Wike nor Amaechi were involved in the physical clash at the hearing.
Grassroots Check’s investigation also placed the video within the broader context of misinformation in Nigeria. As noted in the 2023 Reuters Institute report, false claims often escalate during high-stakes events like legislative hearings or elections. Similar misattributed videos have been debunked in the past, such as one tied to the 2023 elections that was traced back to 2015. The Agozi Comedy video fits this pattern, as it repurposes old footage to spread a sensationalized narrative.
VERDICT: False
Conclusion
Grassroots Check has concluded that the video shared by Agozi Comedy in July 2025 does not depict a fight between Nyesom Wike and Rotimi Amaechi during a church service. Instead, it shows a chaotic scene from the January 28, 2021, PIB public hearing involving Niger Delta host community representatives.