The picture circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp is an edited Namibian dollar banknote.

Writer: Jibi Moses

The specimen of a banknote shared on Facebook and several WhatsApp groups claiming to be a new South Sudanese Pound two hundred (SSP 200) is false. 

The note, mainly covered in purple,  was shared on a purported Bank of South Sudan headed paper. Although there was no description or any other explanation, The note’s main features are Dr.John Garang’s picture, Antelopes, the strips, the governor’s signature, and the serial number, among other features. 

“New Currency. Bank of South Sudan has released a 200 SSP note,” Duany News Network shared on Facebook. Some Facebook posts include one, two, three, and four.

Screenshot of the Edited Banknote, purported to be a new South Sudanese SSP 200 note

Claim Verification: 

A keyword internet search for “Did the Bank of South Sudan release a 200 banknote?” did not return any positive results. This search showed that the latest currency to be released in South Sudan is the South Sudanese Pounds one thousand note (SSP 1000) on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

211 Check did a reverse image search, and the results showed that this is a Namibian dollar 200 note. Both Yandex and Baidu have pictures of the same 200 Namibian dollar banknote.

Banknote World Educational in 2015 published the note with the caption, “Namibia 200 Namibia Dollars Banknote, 2015, P-15b.” In this publication, they also gave the exchange rate to the US dollar, which stood at $60 then. 

Apart from the picture of Captain Hendrik Witbooi’s face, which was portrayed on the obverse of all Namibian dollar banknotes until March 20, 2012, it is still on all N$50, N$100, and N$200 notes and the Bank of Namibia. The rest of the features are the same as the ones in the picture, which claims to be for the South Sudan 200 New Bank Note. 

A screenshot of the N$ 200 banknote as published on the Banknote World website

Namibian Dollar Bank Notes

According to the Bank of Namibia, there are six denominations (values) of Bank of Namibia notes in circulation: N$10, N$20, N$30, N$50, N$100, and N$200.

The Bank of Namibia officially introduced and issued the first Namibian dollar designs for the 10, 50, and 100 Namibian dollar banknote denominations on September 15, 1993. The 20 and 200 Namibian dollar banknote denominations were introduced in 1996. Although the 20 and 200 Namibia dollar banknotes maintained the same design as the first 10, 50, and 100 Namibia dollar banknotes, they did contain some additional trademarked security features. The 10, 50, and 100 Namibian dollar banknotes were subsequently upgraded to include these features.

South Sudanese Pounds BankNotes

The South Sudanese pound is the currency of the Republic of South Sudan. It is subdivided into 100 piasters. The Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly approved it before secession on July 9, 2011 from Sudan. It was introduced on July 18, 2011, and replaced the Sudanese pound.

Coins and Banknotes: 25 pounds, 25 piasters, 5 piasters, 1 pound, 10 piasters

Banknotes: SSP 1, SSP 5, SSP 10, SSP 20, SSP 25, SSP 50, SSP 100, SSP 500, and SSP 1,000. The latest to be introduced is the SSP 1,000 note on February 9, 2021.

Screenshot of the new banknote published on the Bank of South Sudan website on February 9, 2021

Conclusion:

211 Check has found the claim that the image circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp that the Bank of South Sudan has introduced a new currency, the SSP 200 note, is false; the picture is an edited Namibian dollar N$ 200 banknote. 

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

These pictures, allegedly of South Sudanese immigrants, have been online since January 2, 2024, but no publicly available information tells the nationalities of the people in them.

Writer: Jibi Moses

Some images making the rounds on social media claiming to be of South Sudanese immigrants arriving in Italy through Libya are unproven.

The pictures, which accompanied an article by Jonglei TV on March 4, 2024, claimed the pictures were of South Sudanese who had just arrived in Italy after escaping the harsh conditions back home.  

“Desperate Journey. A group of over 50 young South Sudanese have successfully crossed the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Italy yesterday,” the post partly reads.

A screenshot of the post by Jonglei TV.

Claim Verification:

211 Check verified the images individually to establish whether the pictures depict South Sudanese fleeing the economic conditions back home.

Picture One:

A reverse image search result for the first image showed several instances where the image was used. Several online news outlets used the image in their stories with different headlines, some dating back to January 4, 2024.

InfoMigrants, which describes itself as…  Migrant News is a news website designed to combat misinformation that migrants may fall victim to, whether in their country of origin, on their journey, or in the country where they hope to build a new life. To target the largest possible audience, Migrant News is available in six languages: French, Arabic, English, Dari, Pashto, and Bengali. Published a story on January 4 with the headline, “Nearly 250 migrants arrive on the Canary Islands in one day.”

A screenshot of the picture used by the InfoMigrants newspaper.

Other news agencies that reported on the story are seen here, here, here, and here.

Picture Two and Three:

A reverse image search also shows several articles published with the picture, among other similar ones with different headlines. These ranged from mainstream online publications to social media handles like X (formerly Twitter).  

An X (formerly Twitter) user retweeted a tweet first shared by MSF Sea.

MSF Sea tweeted, “37 people on an overcrowded fibreglass boat were rescued this morning by the #MSF team while on its way to #Bari. They reported being at sea for at least four days. They were really weak & are now receiving medical care on board.”

The screenshot of the pictures used by MSF Sea

Desperate Journeys and Immigrants:

In 2018, the UNHCR, the United Nations agency responsible for refugees, produced a Desperate Journeys report. In this report, they explained the trends of these journeys. In 2018, they observed that the number of immigrants dropped, but this could have been due to reduced rescue missions and changes in the routes in the sea used by the immigrants to avoid being intercepted and brought. This, in the long run, makes many cases go unreported.

“The number of refugees and migrants making the Mediterranean Sea crossing fell in 2018. Still, likely, reductions to search and rescue capacity coupled with an uncoordinated and unpredictable response to disembarkation led to an increased death rate as people continued to flee their countries due to conflict, human rights violations, persecution, and poverty,” UNHCR.

Since then, many immigrants from African countries have been making attempts to illegally enter Europe in a bid to escape the harsh political and economic conditions in their home countries. Unfortunately, many of them don’t make it, as these journeys are not only dangerously long, where some die of hunger, thirst, and dangerous waves in the sea, but also illegal.

The media has a lot of content about these journeys, both positive and negative, and these are some of them: here, here, here, here, here, and here.

The search for better economic prospects drives many African migrations; they believe in better opportunities and living conditions in Europe. 

Conclusion:

211 Check found insufficient information to show that the pictures making the rounds are of South Sudanese immigrants. Besides, the same pictures have been online since January 2, 2024. 

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.

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