Many posts from numerous Facebook users implying that Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson is battling cancer are circulating on the social media platform.

The Guardian’s correspondent observed that some blogs began claiming the actress has cancer in May.

On May 12, one user, Richie’s Blog, said the actress was battling thyroid cancer and fighting for her life.

He wrote, “Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson is battling with thyroid cancer. Although her thyroid has been removed, she’s still sick and fighting for her life. Tiny gland in our body controls metabolism, and without it, we can’t survive. This made her loss weight and people think she’s gone for surgery for enhance her body. She takes medication daily to prevent the cancer from resurfacing”.

Seventeen days later, another user, Abraham Olorunyemi, made a similar post in a group on the social media platform.

The user claimed that the popular actress had been diagnosed with cancer.

“Please pray for her. Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson is seriously ill and has been diagnosed of cancer oooh God, we don’t want to lose her too. See the main reason why Mercy Johnson slimmed down and the sickness she’s suffering to everyone dropping a word of prayer for her, may sicknesses never see you and your family members,” Olorunyemi wrote.

Other posts with similar claims can be found here and here.

Similar posts also resurfaced in June and July.

In a Facebook post, one Facebook user, Echoes of the Ved, said Mercy Johnson’s cancer battle has intensified, leaving fans shattered.

The Facebook user also attached a doctored image of the Nollywood actress with a bald head on a hospital bed.

Mercy Johnson has cancer

To verify if the renowned Nollywood actress has cancer, like many Facebook users have claimed, The Guardian’s correspondent did a Google search with the keywords, “Mercy Johnson cancer”.

Numerous results popped up. One of them was a video clip from her TV show, Mercy’s Menu, which was shot in 2023.

In the video, the actress said she had a cancer scare.

“I’ve never discussed it, where I had a cancer scare, and I had my thyroid removed. It was like a journey for us. We had kids and my last was six months at that time,” she said.

The Guardian’s correspondent also observed that claims of the actress’s cancer battle surfaced after she lost weight. Fans speculated that her weight loss was a result of the surgery she had to remove her thyroid years ago.

The actress addressed these rumours in a video posted on her Instagram page in May.

“So in my business, we have a meal plan that tells you what to eat and what not to eat, and pills, and now the latest funding is the lean fast. The lean fast dries a person up in two months, and it’s extremely expensive, but it’s good.

“This is a no-surgery solution; I don’t have anything against surgery, though,” she said.

Claims that Mercy Johnson has cancer are misleading.