Fact-check: WhatsApp message advertising UN AID funds for South Sudan is a hoax

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The viral WhatsApp message containing an application for UN AID Funds to South Sudanese is a scam.

Writer: Abraham Athian 

A WhatsApp message being forwarded to several users and groups with a title that reads, “UN AID FUNDS FOR SOUTH SUDAN” is a hoax.

“The online application for UN AID FUNDS is now available, and the government is urging all the citizens to apply now to receive this aid funds. Payment of funds has just started,” the claim reads in part.

“Application is free for all applicants and is open to all citizens, whether rich or poor,” the message adds. 

Screenshot of the WhatsApp message doing rounds

A link is provided in the WhatsApp message for unsuspecting users to click on. The provided link refers you to a web page where you will see the South Sudan Coat of Arms and the United Nations logo with South Sudan maps in the background. 

Besides, you will also see the alleged number of applicants who are said to have received the claimed aid highlighted in green colour. There are about 9,634 beneficiaries. 

Screenshot of the web claim

In addition, some static comments with unclickable profiles are fake and misleading. 

A screenshot of the fake comments on the web page

While proceeding,  a user is asked for their name and whether the user is a South Sudanese. After submission, the user will see the congratulatory message and eligibility to receive the aid after submitting the details. 

With their tricky plans, conditional steps are given to receive the alleged funds. That is by sharing it with five groups and 15 friends on WhatsApp. “This is what made it go viral.” 

A screenshot of the tricky claim

Claim Verification 

A Google Word Search for “UN aid funds for South Sudan” yields no results. 

WEB Paranoid Results show that the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link is a scam and a low-trusted website that is suspicious and unsafe for users.

WEB PARANOID RESULTS (Analysis, Review, and Complaints):

Web Analysis 

Web Review 

Web Technical Analysis 

A screenshot of Web Paranoid results 

A further search by Virus Total detected Bitdefender, Fortinet and G-Data as Malware. Avira, Kaspersky and CyRadar Phishing and Malicious, respectively.

A screenshot of Virus Total results 

The overall summary of Virus Total results. Six security vendors flagged this URL  https://un.aid.fund.officialreg.site as malicious. 

A screenshot of the Virus Total results summary 

In comparison, the Whois search shows that the given Link is not the legitimate United Nations URL.

GoDaddy, LLC registered and updated the fake domain on September 22, 2023, in Arizona State, United States. It will expire on September 22, 2024. In most cases, newly registered websites are not trustworthy.

 A screenshot of the fake domain Whois Information

On the other hand, Network Solutions, LLC registered the legitimate United Nations domain on January 31, 1995, in New York State, US. It was updated on January 15, 2018, and will expire on February 1, 2024.

A screenshot of the official UN domain Whois Information

The provided URL https://un.aid.fund.officialreg.site doesn’t match the official United Nations URL https://www.un.org/en/. Making it a fake and illegal domain devised to scam internet users. 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that the United Nations is running Aid funds for South Sudanese, a hoax devised as a phishing scam to deceive unsuspecting internet users into providing their details. 

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 +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: Is Bill Gates planning to eliminate three billion people?

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There’s no evidence that Bill Gates made such a statement. 

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A video circulating on WhatsApp claiming that, according to Bill Gates, three billion people should be eliminated is false and misleading. The video claim is accompanied by a statement that urges people to share it on every platform so that they (Africans) can protect themselves and their families.

“Let’s continue sharing this video [on] every platform for the well-being of the Africans. Watch this video now or watch it again and figure out how to protect yourself and your families in the medications that you take or the packaged food that you consume because you’re too busy to pay attention,” read the text accompanying the video claim.

In the two-minute video, a man identified as Doctor Robert O. Young, who appeared on a panel for the International Tribunal for Natural Justice, attributed to Bill Gates the statement that at least three billion people need to die. Young goes on to say that they ‘will start off in Africa’ on the pretext that they are deplorable and worthless, which the viral WhatsApp message focuses on. 

“For the purpose of sterilisation and population control, there’s too many people on the planet we need to get rid of. In the words of Bill Gates, at least three billion people need to die. So we will just start off in Africa. We will start doing our research there and will eliminate most of the Africans because they are deplorable, they are worthless. They are not part of this world economies. Their rights are taken away and suppressed and experimented on (sic),” Young said during the panel described as testimonies from experts.’

Screenshot of the video claim 

Claim Verification:

A Google reverse image search of the video screenshot returned various sources that debunked the claim in the video as false, such as here and here.

A keyword search for “Bill Gates plan to reduce population in Africa” on Google also returned other sources that flagged the claim as false such as here.

However, the search returned an interview Bill Gates did with the Financial Times, in 2018 where he talked about population growth and poverty reduction in Africa. Gates spoke about Africa’s population growth, which would see the number of people in extreme poverty go up if investment in human capital and improvement in healthcare services are not done to reduce it. He did not say the three billion people needed to be eliminated.

Further, according to media reports, in 2010 at a TED Talk conference dubbed “Innovating to Zero” Bill Gates presented his vision for the global energy future. He talked about the growth of the global population and the need to lower it through investment in health. He is not quoted as having made the statement under our investigation. 

“Now, if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by, perhaps, 10 or 15 percent. But there, we see an increase of about 1.3,” reads an excerpt from Bill Gates’ speech as transcribed from minute 4:17.

Who is Doctor Robert O. Young?

211 Check made several queries about Young on Google, which show that he is seemingly a naturopathic practitioner who was convicted of practising medicine without a licence in 2018 and was ordered to pay $105 million to a woman diagnosed with cancer which he falsely promised to cure. This is one among criminal charges as per media reports.

In 2020, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also warned Young to stop advertising unsubstantiated or scientifically unproven products he claimed for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Conclusion:

The claim that Bill Gates’ plan to eliminate the three billion people is not true and there is no evidence that he made such a statement. 

On the other hand, Young’s credibility as a medical expert is in question having been accused of practising medicine without a licence.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with technical support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck newsdesk through the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).

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.

Fact-check: Has a new HIV/AIDS variant that causes facial rashes been discovered in Africa?

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No, there are no reports from WHO about a new HIV variant discovered in Africa.

Writer: Abraham Athian 

A picture in a Post shared by Tikambeko News claims, “A new HIV variant has been discovered in Africa, and if you have any of these symptoms, you may be having it,” but this is false.

This is the  URL to the false article. 

It is a form of health misinformation that scares the public on social media and those who have acne on their faces. The attached picture in the post is of a person with acne, not a new HIV variant, as claimed by the imposter. The picture has been online since 2014.

A screenshot of the Facebook post 

The post attracted 160 likes, 83 comments, and 23 shares. Many media outlets also posted it, as you can see here, here, here, here, and here.

Claim Verification:

A Google search engine shows that the picture first appeared online on June 12, 2014. It was shared by WordPress that Forever Living products (Aloe Vera Gelly and Aloe Propolis Creme) are used to treat acne.

A screenshot of a WordPress post 

The other sources where you can find the origin of the picture are here, here, here, here, and here.

Further search for the source of this picture and the claim lands us on the previous fact-check made by Edmo Belux, a fact-checking agency in Belgium and Luxembourg. This verified the false claim made by Julius Malema Speak in South Africa about the new HIV variant. It concluded it was false by providing some evidence attached below. 

A screenshot of the factual report about the new HIV variant 

A screenshot of the refuted claim 

A screenshot of the verified information

You can also read the full Edmo’s fact-check article written by Tendai Dube here. 

The Latest Research on HIV and other infectious diseases continued to be presented at the 2023 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). Dr Dieffenbach, the Director of the Division of AIDS at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, highlighted three NIH-supported studies that focused on the effectiveness of long-acting HIV prevention in specific populations and a demonstration of how long-acting HIV treatment can be used to reach people with multiple challenges to treatment adherence. First, he discussed a study presented by Dr. Hyman Scott of the San Francisco Department of Public Health that demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among black men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men, concluding that CAB-LA can be a powerful HIV prevention tool to reduce HIV incidence among these groups that are disproportionately affected by HIV.

 What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the opening on the skin’s surface becomes clogged. Acne causes inflamed growths, which may have whiteheads or blackheads. Causes of acne can include hormonal imbalance, oversecretion of oil glands in the skin, and dirt/impurities clogging the skin pores.

Treatment:

The use of Aloe Vera Gelly and Aloe Propolis Creme can minimise the implications. This skin treatment formula has been used and validated over and over satisfactorily, with over 90% of use resulting in total transformation of troubled areas. It works on all types of acne: Blackheads, Whiteheads, Cysts, Acne Vulgaris, Conglobata, and rosacea. 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that there is a new HIV/AIDS variant to be false. It is health misinformation and disinformation. The picture allegedly of a person infected with the new variant was first used in an advertisement for acne-treating medicines in 2014.

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 +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: This photo is not of NCP defector Anthony Feremato

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The featured image used by the Number One Citizen Newspaper is of Fermo Peter Isara, former Torit County Commissioner

Writer: Theophilous Ochang Andrew  

A featured news article image by the Number One Citizen Daily Newspaper allegedly of Anthony Feremato Jacob is false.

The photo used in a story titled “Senior NCP member joins SPLM”, published on September 4, 2023, was meant to depict Anthony Feremato, a former chairperson of the National Congress Party in Eastern Equatoria State (EES) who is said to have switched to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement as reported by The City Review, The Radio Community, and the Number One Citizen Daily Newspaper.

A screenshot of the featured image as it appears on the Number One Citizen Newspaper website

Claim Verification:

A Google reverse image search returns results of the same image published by Radio Tamazuj on 9 August 2018. It is of Fermo Peter Isara, former Torit County Commissioner in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.

Screenshot of the featured image as used by Radio Tamazuj on 9 August 2018

A keyword search using “fermo peter isara, torit county commissioner” also returned the same and similar images confirming the Google reverse image search findings.

Similar images of Fermo Peter Isara

The Radio Community, an independent network of community radio stations in South Sudan, published the same story titled, “Anthony Feremato joins SPLM,” with his actual photo.

A screenshot showing Anthony Feremato’s photo as published by The Radio Community

Similar pictures of Anthony Feremato were shared with 211 Check via messenger by Sisto Ohide who works at the Torit SPLM secretariat as the reporter for the state-run  Radio 97.5 FM.

Photos of Anthony Feremato, former National Congress Party chairperson in EES

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the featured image of a news story allegedly of Anthony Feremato, former National Congress Party chairperson in Eastern Equatoria State, false. The featured image used by the Number One Citizen Daily Newspaper is of Fermo Peter Isara, former Torit County Commissioner.

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 +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check:  Did a military coup take place in Congo-Brazzaville in September 2023?

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No, Congo-Brazzaville’s government spokesperson dismissed the claims. 

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A viral claim on various online platforms that a military coup took place in Congo-Brazzaville on September 17, 2023, is false.

The news of the alleged coup came after Congo-Brazzaville’s President, Gen. Sassou Ngueso, was reported to have travelled to the United States to attend the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York.

In one instance, an X (formerly Twitter) user posted that there was a military coup in Congo-Brazzaville and added that the country’s president was in the United States.

“There is a military coup in Congo Brazzaville at the moment. Congo President Nguesso is reported to be in [the] US at the moment. He’s been in power for decades. LETS GO!,” reads the post.

The screenshot of the X post about the coup in Congo Brazzaville

A YouTube channel, NED Media, also uploaded a clip about an alleged coup in Congo-Brazzaville on September 17, 2023, featuring a video of soldiers walking alongside moving military vehicles on the street. The video also shows a crowd gathering at the stadium that appears to have been taken in Niger when the public was cheering the military junta that took over power in July 2023.

Additionally, on September 18, 2023, another X user posted that the coup was ongoing and the military was controlling critical facilities in the country’s capital.

“There is a military coup ongoing in Congo Brazzaville. The 79-year-old President Nguesso, who has been in power for a combined 39 years, is reported to be in the US at the moment. The military is taking over key facilities in the country’s capital. According to the preliminary report, the coup is led by the commander of the presidential guard,” the post reads.

The screenshot of the X user tweet about the coup

More posts about the coup were also shared here and here where the post alleges that the commander of Brazzaville’s presidential guard, Serge Obua instigated the coup.

The screenshot of the Facebook post claiming the military coup

Claim Verification:

Following the spread of the claim, the government of Congo-Brazzaville, through the Minister of Communication and Media, Thierry Lézin Moungalla, who also doubles as the Government Spokesperson, issued a statement (archived here) dismissing the coup as fake news.

“Fanciful information suggests serious events are taking place in Brazzaville. The government denies this fake news. We reassure public opinion about the calm that reigns and invite people to calmly go about their activities,” reads the statement published on the government’s website. 

Moungalla also refuted the news of the coup through his X account. 

A consequent keyword search on X returned media reports quoting the Brazzaville government’s spokesperson as dismissing the coup attempt claims. 

A further keyword search on Google for “Congo Brazzaville military coup news” also returned many media sources that quoted Moungalla’s statement. In one report by fact-checking organisation PesaCheck, journalists based in Congo-Brazaville also confirmed no coup on September 17, 2023. 

211 Check also deduced that when a coup happens, it does not take long before the plotters announce themselves to the public, as in the case of Niger and Gabon. 

Additionally, since September 17, 2023, when the coup attempt information started circulating on media spaces, no major announcements of the military takeover or the Brazzaville government foiling an attempted coup have occurred.

The only official statement from the government of Congo-Brazzaville is that the claims about a coup attempt are fake news. 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that the President of Congo Brazzaville, Gen. Sassou Ngueso, was overthrown in a military coup on September 17, 2023, false.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with technical support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck newsdesk through the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).

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.

HOAX: This National Health Insurance Fund job advert is a scam

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The NHIF has disowned the poster and urged the public to disregard it.

Writer: PesaCheck

This poster on Facebook claiming that the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is on a recruitment drive is a HOAX.

The National Hospital Insurance Fund changed to National Health Insurance Fund after the amendment of the NHIF Act in 2022.

The advert has the branding of the parastatal and lists more than a dozen job openings which, if filled, will enable the NHIF to implement the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) effectively.

Additional information on the poster is that the positions are “on permanent & pensionable basis to help bridge the gaps between health sector and Kenyan citizen (sic).”

The vacancies are for, among others, clinicians, social workers, community health workers, accountants, nurses, surveyors, supply chain managers, laboratory technicians, secretaries, sales and marketing officers, drivers, and ICT officers.

A similar poster with a different application deadline has been shared in this Facebook publication.

Both posters require the job seekers to be holders of a degree, diploma, or certificate, be Kenyan citizens of legal age, and have experience in what is applied for, among other qualifications.

Further, the poster directs applicants to submit their CVs to a provided Gmail-prefixed address, which raises doubts about its authenticity.

Another red flag is that there is no information about the vacancies in either the Careers section of the NHIF website, on its Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram accounts.

At the time of this debunk, the NHIF had listed eight open positions and none of those in the poster is among them.

Besides, the NHIF directs job seekers to submit applications to nhif.or.ke-prefixed addresses and not Gmail.

The national health insurer, through a post on X (formerly Twitter), disowned the recruitment poster and urged the public to disregard it.

PesaCheck has examined a poster claiming that the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is hiring and found it to be a HOAX.

This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as potential misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms.

FAKE: This screen grab, supposedly of an Equity Bank response to a customer, is fabricated

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The Kenyan financial services provider has disowned the message.

Writer: PesaCheck

This screen grab on Facebook with a message, supposedly from Equity Bank to a customer, is FAKE.

Equity Bank is one of the leading financial service providers in East Africa. In July 2016, the lender was ranked the fastest growing bank in Africa.

The message reads: “Dear costumer if you don’t trust us please withdraw your Kshs. 86.00 you have been checking balance consistently.[sic]”

But is the message authentic?

To begin with, the text has typos. This is among the red flags for social media hoaxes.

On 9 September 2023, the bank released a statement disowning the post.

“This is definitely not a notification from Equity Bank,” the lender said in response to a user on X, formerly known as Twitter.

PesaCheck investigated a screen grab on Facebook with a message, purportedly from Equity Bank to a customer, and found it to be FAKE.

This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as potential misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Fact-check: Is this tiger dog from South Sudan or Uganda?

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The tiger dog picture is from India.  

Writer: Kei Emmanuel Duku

A social media picture posted on Juba Eye and Red Pepper UG that has gone viral on Facebook in South Sudan and Uganda is false. 

In the post on Juba Eye, shared on September 25, 2023, the painted dog in Tiger colours is claimed to belong to a resident in the Jebel area of Juba, South Sudan, and police are already searching for the dog’s owner. 

According to the claim, the alleged owner painted his dog in tiger colours to scare away individuals from coming to his home to ask for the loans he had borrowed. 

The post was shared 73 times, with over 1,000 interactions, over 100 comments, and some over 70 shares by social media users. 

A screenshot of the Facebook post by Juba Eye

The same picture and claim were used by RED Pepper UG on the same day, claiming that the owner of the painted dog is called Mucunguzi from Kyeggwa, and police are already searching for him for painting his dog in tiger colours. This post gained 286 likes, 43 comments, and 18 shares on this platform.

Screenshot of the Facebook post by RED Pepper UG

While the two Facebook posts are satirical, 211 Check looks at the origin of the image in the posts.

Claim Verification:  

According to Tineye’s reverse image search, the picture was taken in New Delhi, India, on December 29, 2019, and the dog’s actual owner is Srikant Gowda, a farmer from Karnataka’s Shivamogga region. 

The publication was done in Urdu, but with the help of Google Translate, it indicated that the dog’s owner decided to paint his dog in tiger colours to scare away monkeys destroying his farmland.

Similar searching was done using Google reverse image search, revealing the same results. 

BestNewsGH.com published the story in December 2019 with the headline: A Desperate farmer paints his dog like a tiger to scare away invading monkeys.

Another source that used the picture is here.

Screenshot of the same picture as published in December 2019 on BestNewsGH.com 

Conclusion: 

211 Check found that the photo that is being shared, claiming to be from Juba and Uganda, is false. The picture originated from the Indian state of Urdu and has been online since 2016..

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 +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: South Sudanese youth didn’t burn houses at the Nadapal border post last week

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Kapoeta East County Commissioner says some houses were burnt by fire that wasn’t completely put off following a honey feast by visitors in the area.

Writer: Kei Emmanuel Duku 

Video footage posted on Turkana TV, a Facebook page with over 39,000 followers, showing houses burning immigration and customs houses in Nadapal is false.

The video posted on Monday, September 18, 2023, claimed Toposa youth from South Sudan burned immigration and customs offices at the Nadapal border post between South Sudan and Kenya.

The Nadapal belt stretches 25 kilometres (16 mi) southward from the border with South Sudan to Lokichogio in Kenya. The village of Nadapal lies on the road between Narus in South Sudan and Lokichogio. The area has been the scene of violent clashes between Toposa and Turkana pastoralists, traditional rivals. 

In the video, it can be seen clearly that one of the houses is still in flames while the other two, the roof, have been raised down by the fire, but the walls remain. Also, in the video, a group of people could be heard talking in a local language, and another man dressed in a cap and shirt walking. By the time of putting this write-up, the video had gotten 3.9 Views, 22 comments, over 170 interactions and 10 shares. 

Screenshot of the Facebook post on The Turkana TV page

Claim Verification:

A day after the post was made, Eye Radio quoted the Commissioner of Kopoeta East in Eastern Equatorial State, Abdalla Angelo, who confirmed that there was “NO” fighting between the Trukana of Kenya and Toposa youths from South Sudan in the bordering town of Nadapal. 

He, however, confirmed that some youth from the Turkana tribe of Kenya came to Nadapal to do a honey feast, but they didn’t completely put off the fire they had used for harvesting the honey and, in the process, burning some houses.

No credible media reported about the incident, and a search using Google Lens showed that only Turkana TV shared the video and the news.

Alternatives towards Peace: 

The two pastoral communities have been in conflict for a long time, resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of properties, but mid-this year, officials from the Kenyan Government paid a visit to Torit, Eastern Equatoria State Capital, to find lasting solutions to the conflict 

Similarly, as a way to foster unity among the two communities, Williams S. Ruto, President of Kenya and his counterpart Slava Kiir from South Sudan agreed to implement joint Infrastructural projects along the border to facilitate trade, movement of labour and unity between the two conflict troubled communities 

Conclusion: 

211 Check found the claim in video footage posted by The Turkana TV on Facebook that South Sudanese youth burned immigration and customs houses at Nadapal false.

Kapoeta East County Commissioner says some houses were burnt by fire that wasn’t completely put off following a honey feast by visitors in the area.

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 +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: This excited man standing behind a lady isn’t a University of Juba student

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The picture that originated from Nigeria has been widely shared on social media but has no connection to the University of Juba or any educational institution in South Sudan.

Writer: Makur Majeng

A photo shared in a post by the Top in South Sudan Facebook page claiming that an excited man standing behind a lady is a student at the University of Juba is entirely false.

The University of Juba is an English-language public university in Juba, South Sudan. It was founded in 1975.

“Meet Calvin Pidor at the University of Jama Juba—the happiness. #TopTRENDS.” claims Top in South Sudan’s Facebook post, which generated over 200 reactions and 17 comments at publication.

But what truth does the above claim hold?

The screenshot of the picture used by Top in South Sudan

See more pictures below:-

These pictures have been trending on social media since April 2019 

Claim Verification:

A Google reverse image search was conducted to verify the picture’s authenticity. This search revealed that the image has been widely used on the internet and has no specific association with the University of Juba or any educational institution.

The picture first appeared online in April 2019 and was reported to have been shared by a student of the University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT) in Rivers State, Nigeria, according to Naijaload and Naijacover websites. The individuals in the picture have no reported connection to the University of Juba.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found the claim made by the Top in South Sudan Facebook page, alleging it is the photo of a student at the University of Juba, false. The photo originated in Nigeria and has been circulating online since April 2019 without any reported connection to the University of Juba.

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 +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter