No, this video originated in Nigeria and has been online since late December 2023. As much as there are conflicts in the Apaa area due to land disputes and reported killings, this particular video wasn’t recorded there. 

Writer: Jibi Moses

A video making the rounds on a WhatsApp group claiming to be from Appa, northern Uganda, is misleading.

The video, which was shared on February 26, 2024, in a WhatsApp group, claims that the incident happened in Apaa on that specific day in the afternoon.

The message caption partly reads, “THE QUESTION OF APAA LAND DISPUTE IN AMURU DISTRICT BETWEEN MADI AND ACHOLI COMMUNITIES INTENSIFIES THIS AFTERNOON.”

A screenshot from the part of the video.

The video caused suspicion since the language used did not sound like Madi or Acholi, the native languages of the two communities in dispute. Despite that, no mainstream media has reported or written about the video.

This made 211 Check take a deeper dive to investigate it.

Claim Verification:

A Google search by 211 Check after cropping some parts of the video shows results of an unrelated incident that happened earlier and in a different location.

The first Google search result brought up this video posted by ALIVEGORE with the caption, “Child Warning! Islamist Militants Killed 198 Christians In 15 Villages. Nigeria.”

Screenshot of an image from the Counting Stars article.

Similarly, CountingStars is an online newspaper that describes itself as a personal blog created in 2004 and published in Spain. On December 26, 2023, a story with the headline The images of the brutal Islamist massacres against Christians in Nigeria on Christmas Eve. 

The article deeply explains an alleged act of rudeness that happened in Nigeria on Christmas Eve of 2023. They screenshotted multiple scenes in the video and posted them with the article as pictures.

An article published by the Counting Stars on December 26, 2023.

The Madi-Acholi Apaa conflict

The Apaa land wrangles between the Madi of Adjumani district and Acholi of Amuru, both northern districts of Uganda, started to appear as early as 2006. The Apaa land became contentious when the government in 2017 demarcated boundaries between Amuru and Adjumani districts. Apaa village was placed under Adjumani, to the dismay of the Acholi people from Amuru, with whom they have inhabited the land for decades. Since then, the attacks have been recurring, as the Madi community wants the Acholi people pushed out of the land.

The Apaa issue has been in the news ever since, as seen in some of these articles here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, among others.

A keyword search: “Has there been a massacre in Apaa Northern in February?” on Google brought several media results, with the latest being an article by Plus News, in which they reported that an Alebtong police officer wanted to kill a person in Apaa. This incident happened on February 22. There are other incidences of killing, as reported here, here, and here.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that a video making the rounds on WhatsApp didn’t originate from Apaa, northern Uganda, but from Nigeria. Evidence shows that the video has been online since late December 2023. Much as there are land conflicts in the Apaa region between the Acholi and Madi and some reported cases of killings, this particular one isn’t from there. 

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter

A recent sponsored Facebook post claiming to offer free study in Germany with no need to learn German and potential transportation and accommodation is not announced by a legitimate source. 

Writer: Makur Majeng

A sponsored post on Facebook claiming to offer free study in Germany with no need to learn German and potential transportation and accommodation is a hoax.

“Unlock the pathway to your educational goals with our expert assistance. Let’s make it happen!” reads part of the sponsored Facebook post.

The sponsored post targets an audience specifically in South Sudan aged 18-45, enticing them to pursue their educational goals with the promise of expert assistance. 

Upon clicking the sponsored Facebook post link, users are redirected to a website that shows relevant searches.

The screenshot of the sponsored post on Facebook

Claim Verification:

211 Check conducted a Keyword Search for ‘Are you 18-45 from South Sudan? You can study in Germany without a Visa and learn German’ and found no evidence to support the claim of free study in Germany without needing to learn German.

A WHOIS domain search shows that the website associated with the ad was recently registered on 24 January 2024 and is set to expire on 24 January 2025. This short time frame for the website’s existence indicates a potential scam, casting doubt on its legitimacy.

The screenshot of the Whois domain search of the website

The Google Chrome browser flagged the website in the sponsored post as unsecured, which cast further doubt on the resources behind the offer and the ad’s intention.

Upon further investigation, it was found that the official website for the Germany Scholarship offers opportunities for international students to study in Germany. The scholarship provides financial support to high-achieving students, but it does not offer completely free study.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds a recent sponsored post on Facebook claiming to offer free study in Germany with no need to learn German, along with potential transportation and accommodation, a hoax

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-Check for a Pay’ Initiative with support from the International Fact-Checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter

The ad is a hoax and scam being peddled on a fake Facebook page impersonating the Minister of Finance, Bak Barnaba Chol.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A Facebook page bearing the name of the Minister of Finance and Planning, Bak Barnaba Chol, which posted a statement about funding opportunities for small and medium business enterprises (SMEs) in South Sudan, is a hoax.

The page, in its statement, claimed that the Ministry of Finance and Planning signed an 11 million dollar agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and UNESCO to provide support for business owners, companies, and organisations.

“We are therefore calling upon all eligible business owners, companies, and organisations to apply for this funding opportunity under the Investing in [the] diversified economy-led growth model,” reads a statement posted on Facebook bearing the name Dr Bak Barnaba Chol on January, 28th 2024 with a link attached for the applicants to apply for the funding opportunity.

Screenshot of the Facebook page claim.

Claim Verification:

211 Check reviewed the Facebook page’s transparency, but it turned out that the page was created on January 27th 2024, and had only 109 likes and 359 followers during the review, which raised suspicion of a fake account since it is new.

The screenshot of the page transparency

The Google form link attached with the statement for the application process collects personal information of the applicants (name, contacts, address, occupation), business or organisation entity name and type, number of employees, and the amount of the fund which is maximally limited at 500,000USD including other information to be filled before applying.

Screenshot of the Google form

The Ministry of Finance and Planning, in a statement it published on its Facebook page on January 28th 2024, debunked the claim as a scam and fake account impersonating the Minister of Finance, Dr Bak Barnaba Chol.

“This is to inform the general public and social media users in particular to be cautious of unscrupulous scammers using the name of the Honorable Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol, to scam unsuspecting Facebook subscribers,” reads part of the statement the Ministry shared to the public on its Facebook page.

“It should be noted that all formal communications from the Ministry of Finance and Planning are either published on the official website or posted here on this official Facebook Page,” it added.

The screenshot of the Ministry of Finance statement debunking the claim as a scam and fake

211 Check contacted the African Development Bank (AfDB) South Sudan country’s office Manager and UNESCO’s Juba office for comments via email, but the efforts were unsuccessful.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds a post soliciting applications on a Facebook page impersonating the Minister of Finance and Planning, Bak Barnaba Chol, a hoax. No public record shows the Ministry of Finance and Planning has signed an 11 million dollar agreement with the African Development Bank and UNESCO to support Small and Medium Enterprises business owners in South Sudan.

The AfDB and UNESCO websites do not show any agreement of 11 million dollars signed with the Ministry of Finance and Planning of South Sudan to support business and organisation entities.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-Check for a Pay’ Initiative with support from the International Fact-Checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter

The 225 applicants have passed both written and oral interviews. They are now awaiting ‘screening’, a final stage that will see 87 of them recruited by the National Communication Authority.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

A recent report by The City Review, a Juba-based English daily newspaper in South Sudan, claimed that the National Communication Authority had recruited 225 applicants for different positions, which is misleading.

“The National Communication Authority said it has recruited 225 applicants out of the 3000 candidates interviewed for various positions last year,” reads the claim published on January 20, 2024.

According to the same news report, which claims that 225 applicants were recruited, only 87 vacancies were advertised by the National Communication Authority.

A November 3, 2023, news report by City Review also confirms that the National Communication Authority (NCA) had advertised for 87 vacancies.

A screenshot of a section of the news report published on City Review’s website

So, have 225 applicants been recruited by the National Communications Authority? We checked

Claim Verification:

Madut Akol Nhial, the Managing Director of Bridge Employment Solutions, said in an Eye Radio news report that out of all the candidates interviewed, only 225 passed the oral interview, and they will be subjected to a second screening.

Bridge Employment Solutions is the company contracted to conduct the hiring process on behalf of the National Communications Authority. It said that 225 of the over 3,000 candidates who did an oral interview for vacant positions at the institution have made it to the final stage.

Jervase, a public relations officer at the National Communications Authority, told 211 Check when contacted via WhatsApp that the results of the forthcoming interview would determine the 87 finalists who would be recruited.

“225 passed previous interviews and will be put through the final one. From the results, 87 will be selected because of the advertised vacancies that were 87 in the beginning,” Jervase said.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that the National Communication Authority has recruited 225 applicants misleading. The 225 of the over 3,000 candidates who have made it to the final stage will see 87 recruited, according to both Bridge Employment Solutions and the National Communications Authority.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter

The picture making rounds on social media is not of Entebbe International Airport (EBB) but that of Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Writer: Jibi Moses

An image allegedly of the interior of Entebbe International Airport posted by an X (Formerly Twitter) user on January 18, 2024, is false.

“The interior of #Entebbe International Airport,” reads the image caption, which has since attracted 2,058 views, 7 reposts, six comments, and 40 likes at this publication. 

Entebbe International Airport lies astride the equator at latitude 00.020 North and longitude 320 East located 40 kilometers southwest of Kampala City, Uganda’s capital, according to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority.

Screenshots of the post by X user and some of the comments.

Other searches show that the same image was used by another social media user on Facebook with the caption, “Inside view of “Entebbe” International Airport.”

Claim Verification:

211 Check carried out a Google reverse Image Search on the picture, and it got several results showing the image as that of Dubai International Airport.

Other search engines, such as Microsoft Bing, Baidu, Google, and Yandex, all show the image in different instances, as that of Dubai International Airport. 

The image is also among a collection of images by Alamy, titled Dubai International Airport Air Hub captioned, “A picture taken on August 21, 2017, in the airport of Dubai, UAE,“

The screen of the image as it appears on the Alamy website in 2017.

Dubai International Airport:

According to Google Maps, Dubai International Airport is a four-star airport located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East—an intercontinental hub for the UAE with a purpose-built jet airliner facility concourse.

The same picture of the airport was uploaded to Google Maps by Ibrahim Falqi in December 2022.

Some sources that used the image with reference to Dubai International Airport are here, here, and here, among others.

A screenshot of the picture as it appears on Google Maps (photos) 

Entebbe International Airport:

According to the country’s civil aviation authority, Entebbe International Airport is Uganda’s only international airport located about 6 kilometres southwest of Entebbe, on the northern shores of Lake Victoria.

In 2022, the Government of Uganda gave the National Army’s (UPDF) engineering brigade contract to renovate and upgrade the airport. Some links to the articles that published stories for the renovation are here, here, here, and here.

On Wednesday, January 10, 2024, the renovated terminal was opened to the public ahead of the  NAM summit, which is happening in Uganda, which means an increase in the number of arrivals.

Many Ugandan news outlets reported this and shared the images as 1, 2, and 3, among others.

A screenshot of a section of the renovated Entebbe International Airport, as reported by the Daily Monitor.

A screenshot of Entebbe International Airport as reported by the New Vision.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the picture posted on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) allegedly of Entebbe International Airport is false. 

The picture shows Dubai International Airport from the Middle Eastern country of the United Arab Emirates taken on August 21, 2017, according to Alamy, a playground for creatives looking for fresh and inclusive content.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter