Fact-check: Study finds that parabens hair relaxing products have side effects on African Women

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Several researchers have found out some evidence suggesting that heavy use of paraben-containing hair relaxers is linked to an increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

Reports that a study has found out that toxic chemicals used in hair products for black women can fuel breast cancer are true.

The new study was conducted by City of Hope, a cancer hospital and research center in Southern California, US and presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta — found hair care products mostly marketed to Black women contain parabens, a class of hormone-disrupting chemicals.

The study says that these chemicals not only raise women’s chances of getting breast cancer, but also disproportionately fuel the spread of cancer cells in Black women.

The study was widely reported on the internet as can be seen here, here and here.

Screenshot of the headline doing the rounds

What are parabens?

Parabens have been used as artificial preservatives in hair care and beauty products since the 1920s. Parabens can interfere with the normal function of hormones and cause skin irritation. 

The rapid spread of cancer cells in the parabens sulfates is more prevalent in black women.

Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Butylparaben, and Isobutylparaben are the most common parabens.

Breast cancer affects black women disproportionately. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the demographic has a 41% higher death rate from breast cancer, and black women under 50 have twice the cancer mortality rate as white women.

What are doctors saying about the side effects of hair relaxing creams?

Lejju Benjamin Modi, a medical doctor in Juba explains to 211 Check in detail how beauty creams affect black women, “…and I found that there is some evidence to that effect. Like skin bleaching agents, most of these beauty chemicals contain a lot of cancer-causing agents, especially with prolonged/heavy use…’’

“Black/African American women’s hair relaxers, leave-in conditioners, and oils may contain estrogens or estrogen-disrupting compounds. As a result, their use may increase the risk of breast cancer. The findings of the few previous studies on this topic are contradictory. The Black Women’s Health Study, a nationwide prospective study of Black women, was used to examine the relationship between hair relaxer and leave-in conditioner use and breast cancer incidence. From 1997 to 2017, 2311 incident breast cancers occurred in 50,543 women.…,” a study published in May 2021 has this abstract

“Results of this study were largely null, but there was some evidence that heavy use of lye-containing hair relaxers may be associated with increased risk of ER+ breast cancer. Consistent results from several studies are needed before it can be concluded that use of certain hair relaxers impacts breast cancer development,” the study said.

Conclusion:

211 Check has looked into a research study on the side effects of beauty creams and found out that several researchers discovered some evidence suggesting that heavy use of paraben-containing hair relaxers is linked to an increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re unsure about or know where it comes from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.

Fact-check: New care fertility syrup, a herb that claims to boost reproductive health, is unproven

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Infertility cannot be cured with natural remedies or herbs. So, before taking any natural supplements, consult your doctor and read about their potential side effects.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

NewCare Fertility Syrup Ltd asserts in Facebook posts that some natural herbs can improve reproductive health in both men and women, but these herbs have not been scientifically proven.

According to the label, the herb can treat the following reproductive issues: improves pregnancy chances, shrinks fibroids, regulates the menstrual cycle, balances hormones, improves egg quality in women, normal ovarian functions, and treats Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

The company says that the herbal medicine contains the following ingredients: aloe vera, lemon, eucalyptus, beetroots, hibiscus, honey, alkaline vegetable oil, and elephant grass.

NewCare Fertility Syrup Ltd, a Facebook page created on July 12, 2022, is followed by approximately 360 people on Facebook but regularly posts in sponsored advertisements about some natural herbs that can boost reproductive health. They claim that their herbs are always packaged in three litre containers with 30 pills for women and one-litre containers with 30 pills for men.

Screenshot of the alledged herbs

What do users of similar herbs use?

211 Check has interviewed a woman named Juan Mary Paul and this is what she said,’’I have tried these herbs but not from this company. I was diagnosed with fibroids and I decided to take some herbs and do exercise and stopped eating red meat.’’

She continued by saying ,’’Do not forget to prayer as you take what God created for us as medicine,he will for sure put his hands on it.’’ ‘’I also know that no Doctor will believe me ,because the herbs are not scientifically proven and sometimes I doubt the effectiveness of the herbs,’’ she added.

What do doctors in South Sudan say?

Odol George, a doctor at Juba Teaching Hospital in South Sudan’s capital Juba says these herbal treatments are just claims and that the ingredients need some studies. 

“These are just claims because what are the active ingredients that improve fertility?Is it for men or women?What are the areas of actioning the human body?A lot of questions before using the herbs,” Dr. Odol George warns.

Dr. Odol George, continues by saying that,’’Aloe vera and other plants are not active ingredients, these extracts of plants which need to be treated first and then put through thin layer chromatography which will tell these ingredients.”

Studies on herbs as a cure for infertility:

Gilbert Ross medical director of the American Council on Science and Health in New York says, “Many herbal preparations have been documented to contain estrogenic substances, which can have an impact on sex-hormone concentration and fertility in both males and females.”

211 Check finds out that Nidal Jaradat and Abdel Naser Zaid said in a study on the effects of herbal remedies used in the treatment of infertility in males and females that the herbs showed no signs of a positive impact on fertility in both men and women and also lacked evidence that they are clinically safe.

What can help you boost your fertility?

You don’t need many herbal remedies if you are trying to conceive naturally. All you need is a good diet plan, regular exercise, good sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking or drinking alcohol.

Conclusion:

Natural remedies or herbs can’t cure infertility. There are a lot of herbs that can make your infertility even worse. So before taking any natural supplements, talk to your doctor and read about their side effects.

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re unsure about or know where it comes from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.

Fact-check: Can paw paw seeds ward off malaria? No, scientifically unproven

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Writer: Jibi Moses

A Facebook post by Mr. Chia, a page that concentrates on foods and nutrition claimed on 14th October 2022 that Papaya seeds are a medication for Malaria.

The post that has since attracted 13 reactions, 3 comments and 2 shares carries a picture of a ripe pawpaw with the caption ‘ward off malaria with paw paw seeds’.

The post further claims that the paw paw seeds have more health benefits as in being a powerful antioxidant, relieves menstrual pain, healthy gut, helps in weight loss, anti-cancer properties, and nephroprotective.

A screenshot of the image used by Mr. Chia. 

But, how do paw paw seeds ward off malaria? 211 Check looks at the claim:

The Facebook page, Mr. Chia mostly posts about foods and associated health benefits, and attributes a single food type to be medicinal too many diseases for example, in this case, it named malaria, cancer, healthy gut, reduces on menstrual pain, and protects the kidneys. In another post they wrote on sugarcane, explaining similar benefits.

However, there’s no clear dosage for the patient who is taking the medication in the page’s posts.

211 Check spoke to a medical doctor in Juba, Dr.Gwolo David of Juba Medicare clinic, enquiring whether papaya seeds can help prevent and cure malaria, but he said there’s no proven way that papaya seeds can help prevent or cure malaria though studies have shown its inhibitory effects on Plasmodium falciparum (malaria).

He said papaya, just like any fruit, is nutritional and he advises people to always have them in their diet, but they shouldn’t be eating them as medication. He further advised people to always visit a medical personnel when not feeling okay and take medication as advised by the physician.

Dr.Odol George, a Juba-based physician, had an answer not different from that of Dr.David.

“What is known is that fruits are good for health because they contain a lot of vitamins which will improve body immunity and have antioxidant elements like Vitamin E and Zinc,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the National Drug Authority were futile, as they couldn’t reply to our email. 

What is Papaya?

According to Wikipedia papaya or pawpaw is the plant Carica papaya, one of the 22 accepted species in the genus Carica family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern day southern Mexico and Central America. In 2020 India produced 43% of the world supply of papaya.

An Internet based nutritional WebMD explains how beneficial papaya is to one’s health. Similarly other sites explains in their different as seen here, here, here and here 

An image of a sliced ripe papaya (pawpaw) fruit. 

Malaria causes symptoms, prevention and treatment 

Malaria is spread by a female anopheles mosquito. Most common signs of malaria are fever, headache, joint pains and others. Malaria can be mild to deadly extent if not treated early enough. There many medicines that treat Malaria according to the way an individual responds to the parasites.

The Center for Diseases control explains more about Malaria, its causes, symptoms and treatment in this post. World Health Organization, the body that regulates and coordinates health issues in the world has this to say about malaria 

Malaria treatment 

Malaria is treated with a variety of medicines some of which are Chloroquine, Doxycycline, and Primaquine.

These health establishments give a better and more explanation on the types of medicines used for treating Malaria and these are: CDC, MedicineNet, and drugs.com.

Conclusion:

Given the findings after the comments from the medical doctors and reliable online sources, there’s on prove that papaya seeds are a medication for either malaria or the other said ailments.

The online nutritional sites which are somehow in support of the claim, warn that patients should first seek advice from a medical Doctor or a physician should they catch malaria.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

Explainer: Somalia and Somaliland differences South Sudanese should know

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Writer: Ghai Aketch

More often than not, most people overly confuse Somalia and Somaliland, thinking that it refers to the same country. However, the differences are very distinct as explained for you below by 211 Check.

Somalia is an independent state, which acquired self-rule in 1960 from Britain and Italy who had established British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland which later merged and gained independence in 1960 as Federal Republic of Somalia.

However, in 1991 Somaliland declared itself autonomous from Somalia after a rebel group, Somali National Movement (SNM) led a rebellion: toppling the ruling government that year. Somaliland became self-governing with its capital city in Hargeisa, and up to date holds democratic elections. 

Regardless of its proclaimed independence, Somaliland is not recognised as a sovereign  state. Some  analysts, however, assert that the African Union is reluctant to declare Somaliland an independent state fearing that other secessionists might seek to split from already independent states which can subsequently undermine the continent’s stability.

Although Somaliland is not a recognised state, it goes for democratic elections and has a complete structure of government. Its currency is Somaliland Shilling (Sl.Sh) whereas Somalia’s currency is Somali shilling (SOS). Also, both regions are located in the horn of Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean.

But due to different economic  levels 1 USD in Somalia is equivalent to about 570 SOS, Somali shilling and also the same  US dollar is about 10,000 Somaliland shilling. In Somaliland, due to currency devaluation, people carry bundles of money in bags or wheelbarrows to buy basic items.That compelled the government to introduce cashless transactions through mobile money payments. 

A week ago, a post published by tabloids  went viral  stating that 1 US dollar in Somalia  is equivalent to 9,000 Somaliland shilling. The post unintentionally confused Somalia with Somaliland:

“In Somalia, $1 is equivalent to 9,000 Somaliland shillings – the currency is so devalued that people roam the markets with piles of money in wheelbarrows.” The post reads partly.

Screenshot of a Facebook post by Juba TV

Some people  assume it’s Somalia that is referred to as Somaliland to mean land of Somali. But they’re different as explained above.

Fact-check: Can drinking hot lemon water cure cancer? Not scientifically proven

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Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A widely circulated WhatsApp message claiming that drinking hot lemon water can cure cancer is false.

The message, which warns people against using conventional cancer treatments and claims that mixing lemon fruit with hot water “is 1,000 times better than chemotherapy,” was attributed to Dr. Guru Prasad Reddy BV, who claimed to be a professor at Osh State Medical University in Moscow, Russia.

Screenshot of the claim posted on Facebook

“Screening will not and cannot lower the cancer cases. There are very many people who are going to India. A friend who has been going to India for the last three years because of cancer told me 50% of people in the cancer clinics in India are usually Africans (Kenya/Uganda) etc. Sadly, many don’t make it even after these treatments, this is the bit that we are never told,” reads part of the message on social media.

“Blend a whole lemon fruit with a cup of hot water and drink it for about 1-3 months first thing before food and cancer would disappear, research by Maryland College of Medicine says, it’s 1000 times better than chemotherapy”, the message adds.

Is this true? 211 Check investigates the claims made in the WhatsApp message:

211 Check established that Dr. Guru Prasad Reddy is a specialist in plastic surgery at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Hyderabad-Kondapur in India, not professor at Osh State Medical University in Russia.

And Osh State Medical University is a public University in Kyrgyzstan not in Moscow-Russia as claimed. The link is here

And 211 Check found no publicly available research published about lemon treating cancer by University of Maryland, College of Medicine. And lemon is not even in clinical trials as a medicine for cancer at the University.

In 2017, the claim was posted on a Facebook page by Home Ayurvedic remedied which garnered 102 comments, and 280 shares was also referenced to have been written by Dr. Guru Prasad Reddy. The link is here

The same message was also shared many years back and attributed to several doctors from different countries and institutions which some of them debunked as fake and said the claim was completely false.

AFP published a fact-check in August 2021 on the same claim as false which at that time was attributed to Chief Executive Professor Chen Horin from Beijing Military Hospital who according to AFP the professor was faked.

“This matter is very important..…lemon slices in a glass of hot water can save you for the rest of your life. Hot lemon water kills cancer cells. Cut a lemon into three pieces and put them in a cup. Then pour hot water in it. It’s done (alkaline water). Drinking it on a daily basis will give special benefits”, AFP quoted a post on Facebook in 2018 which was shared 125,000 times as said by Professor Chen Horin. 

However, AFP found out that the real chief physician Chen Huiren at Beijing Military Hospital name was the one faked in the claim, not Horin.

A cancer specialist at Bangladesh Cancer Society Hospital, Prof Dr Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, who was quoted by AFP said the claim was a hoax but said lemon can prevent some types of cancer however, not cure.

“No one can say hot lemon water…..can cure cancer and such claims have no scientific basis. There are different types of cancers and many of these have their own ways of treatment but drinking hot lemon water is definitely not among them. Citrus fruits including lemon sometimes can have some positive impact in preventing certain types of cancers but that’s not a treatment.” he was quoted as saying by AFP.

Scientific facts:

The lemon cure claim for cancer has been also disputed by the National Center for Health Research as untrue after modified citrus pectin – a carbohydrate in the peels of citrus fruits studied with humans’ prostate cancer was unsuccessful.

And it said limonoids chemical found in citrus peels has proved ineffective in preventing cancer in human beings.

Dr. Manish Singhal termed the claim as myth but it is a good idea to have lemon either in hot or cold water because it will keep one very hydrated by washing toxins and acids in the stomach. However, thinking that it can cure cancer is not true.

Cancer Research UK in 2013 has also clarified that “there’s no scientific evidence to show that lemon juice can cure cancer, despite what is on the internet”. 

And the U.S. National Centre for Health Research, “lemons are not a “proven remedy against cancers of all types,” and no studies have ever been done that would compare the effectiveness of a lemon to chemotherapy.”

There is currently no World Health Organization (WHO) factsheet on lemon curing cancer in patients, and what is circulating on the internet about lemon hot water curing cancer remains just a hypothesis not scientifically proven.

Conclusion:

211 Check investigated posts on lemon hot water curing cancer that have been going on for years in various platforms, with others claiming that the lemon is 10,000, 10, and 1,000 times more effective than chemotherapy are unproven. And because no scientific studies have proven the claim to be true, it remains a health myth.

Explainer: What is the difference between a Nationality Certificate and a National ID in South Sudan?

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Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

  Courtesy photo of a National ID     
                           Courtesy photo of a Nationality Certificate

South Sudanese have recently sought clarification on the distinction between the Nationality Certificate and the National ID, both of which are issued by the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration.

211 Check attempts to explain the differences between the two documents in the categories of definition, guiding laws, issuing authority, and validity in this short article.

Definitions: 

A “Nationality Certificate” is the document granted to a South Sudanese National who is eligible for national status in accordance with the provisions of Chapter III of the Nationality Act, 2011.

A “National ID” is a document issued to every South Sudanese of at least eighteen years of age for purposes of employment or as required by a “competent authority.”

Guiding laws:

The “Nationality Certificate” is issued in accordance with the provisions of the South Sudan Nationality Act, 2011.

“National ID” is issued in accordance with the provisions of the South Sudan Civil Registry Act, 2018.

Issuing authority:

The “Nationality Certificate” is processed at the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration and issued/signed by the Minister of Interior.

“National ID” is processed at the Directorate of Civil Registry and issued/signed by the Director of Nationality and Passports.

Validity:

The “Nationality Certificate” has a lifetime validity and it does not expire.

“National ID” has a five-year validity and expires just like a passport.

References:

To read more about the Nationality Certificate and National ID, kindly refer to:

The South Sudan Nationality Act, 2011

The South Sudan Civil Registry Act, 2018

Fact-check: Has the UN issued an alert on organ trafficking? No, it’s fake

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This alert is not available on the official website of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The United Nations denies having issued it.

By Ochaya Jackson

A United Nations document alerting the public on organ trafficking in the Middle East countries on social media is not true. 

The document indicated that the black market for human body parts in Middle East is in high demand, and warned the public of fake jobs offer abroad in which they murder the victims and remove organs from their bodies to be sold in the black market.

“The black market for parts of the human body is booming in  the Middle East. A kidney now costs 262,000 dollars (131 million CFA Francs); the heart costs 119,000 dollars (60 million CFA Francs) and liver costs 157,000 dollars (79 million CFA Francs). Beware of the fake foreign agencies promising to make you work abroad. They process your paper, pay your plane ticket, and just take you abroad pretending they want to find you a job, but instead, they kill their victims, recover all the precious parts of their bodies”, the document reads.

The document bears the claimed link to the website of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

When one clicks on the link claimed in the document, it returns an error message “the page or document requested is not available”.

Additionally, there is no any related document alerting about organ trafficking on the UN office on drugs and crime website.

A fact-check by PesaCheck in March 2021 on the same document found out that the alert was false.

Furthermore, the archived statement on organ trafficking on the website of UNODC covering from 2017 until August 2022 said that the need for transplantation of healthy organs into those who have failed organs have increased as such illicit means are being used to harvest human organs.

Screenshot of archived webpage

On March 10, 2021, UNODC Pakistan spokesperson Rizwana Asad told AFP that the claim was false and not shared by the UN.

AFP Fact-check states that the purported alert was first published on Facebook on March 2, 2021.

211 Check investigated an alleged United Nations alert warning the public about organ trafficking in the Middle East and discovered it to be FALSE.

Fact-check: South Sudan is NOT the largest producer of okra in Africa

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South Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have no data on how much okra South Sudan produces. Official statistics name Nigeria as the largest producer of okra in Africa.

By Emmanuel Bida Thomas 

African Report files, a Facebook blog page with 183K followers, claimed in a post on September 3, 2022, that South Sudan is the largest producer of Okra in Africa.

Screenshot of a Facebook post claiming that South Sudan is the largest producer of Okra in Africa

The claim drew 1.6K interactions, 180 comments, and 357 shares on Facebook and was re-posted by The Mail and ACC Tv.

The same claim was shared by a Twitter user here on September 7, 2022. While some audiences believed it was accurate, others argued it was false.

However, according to data on the global production of okra by Atlas, Nigeria is the second largest producer of Okra in the world, with 1,819,018 tonnes of yearly production, making it the first in Africa. The same data can be found in the diversity times.

Screenshot showing World Okra Production by Country

The database of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, FAOSTAT, which has a wealth of agricultural information, including okra, also names Nigeria as the largest producer of okra in Africa.

Okra production in Africa, according to data from FAO

Okra Production in South Sudan:

An internet search on okra production in South Sudan returns no data on how many tonnes the country produces yearly.

Statistics on FAOSTATS indicate “missing value (data cannot exist, not applicable)” for okra production in South Sudan.

211 Check reached out to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, but they could not immediately provide statistics on okra production in South Sudan.

Conclusion:

211 Check has looked into a claim that South Sudan is the largest producer of okra in South Sudan and finds it to be false. Both South Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have no data on how much okra South Sudan produces. Official statistics name Nigeria as the largest producer of okra in Africa.

Fact-check: MTN South Sudan 40th Anniversary Celebration Gift Raffle is a Hoax

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MTN South Sudan is just ten years old, and it marked its 10th anniversary in June 2021. Therefore, do not click and provide your contact address or personal information to suspicious online websites.

By Kei Emmanuel Duku

Introduction:

A website link widely shared on various WhatsApp groups claiming that MTN customers in South Sudan stand a chance of winning 300 euros through a questionnaire as MTN celebrates its 40th anniversary is false.

Fake Promotional Website Circulating on WhatsApp

While answering the questions on the website, you will encounter questions like:

1. Do you know MTN South Sudan?

2. How old are you?

3. What do you think about MTN South Sudan?

4. And, they also asked if you were male or female?

After going through the four-step questionnaires, a dialogue box with a congratulatory message pops up, “Your answers have been saved successfully. You have a chance to win gifts, and you must select the correct box with your prize inside.” You have three attempts. Good luck”. 

Upon selecting the first 2 boxes, it will tell you, “Sorry, the box you have selected is empty. Try again.” You have more chances left, but by clicking on the second row of the first two boxes, it tells you. “Congratulations! You did it! “You won 300 euros.”

And the thump rule: for you to get the money, you must be able to share their promotional messages in five groups and with 20 other friends, as well as complete the registration process with all contact addresses, in order for you to receive the 300 euros in 5-7 days. 

However, the promotion is not true, and below are some of our findings which make the promotion false or a hoax. 

If you do a close analysis of the website, it directs you to a different website, not the official MTN South Sudan website. The official website for MTN South Sudan is https://mtn.com.ss. The false promotional website is affirmationkidnap.top/ev, which we found to be unrelated to MTN South Sudan. 

Additionally, the impostor website is not encrypted, as all legitimate websites start with HTTPS. Therefore, you should desist from such scrupulous links or websites. 

Investigation:

MTN South Sudan was established in 2011, right after the independence of South Sudan, with its headquarters located in Hai Jerusalem, Juba-South Sudan. MTN celebrated its 10th year of existence in South Sudan in June last year.

When contacted by 211 Check via WhatsApp for the above promotional prizes. MtnSSD customer centre in South Sudan disputed the prizes and subsequently warned its customers about fake activities/business circulating on social media on behalf of the company’s name. 

“No, please be informed that it’s not from MTN.” Keep away from that unreliable information because it’s dangerous. ” “We appreciate you reaching out to us MTNSS,” reads the WhatsApp message from MTN South Sudan.

Another finding using Whois Search indicates that the website was created on May 07, 2022, updated two days later, and it will expire on May 07, 2023, with the website https://ican.org/epp # OK and URL www.west263.com registered in the province of Zhejiang, yet the official website for MTN South Sudan is https://mtn.com.ss.

Lastly, you can click on the link several times and keep winning the 300 euros. This is to lure you to share several times with audiences within your reach for them to achieve their set targets, but ideally, there’s nothing to win.  

Conclusion:

211 Check has investigated a claim stating that MTN South Sudan is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and found it to be a hoax. MTN South Sudan is just ten years old, and it marked its 10th anniversary in June 2021. Therefore, do not click and provide your contact address or personal information to suspicious online websites.

Fact-check: Is Mwijukye Robert Lubang part of a group that initiated a conflict in Magwi?

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By 211 Check Desk

A Facebook post by a page “Sixty 4 Tribes Press” with a photo of Mwijukwe Robert Lubang claiming that he was part of a group who initiated a conflict between pastoralists and farmers in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State is false.

“The conflict between pastoralists and farmers in Magwi County where dozens lost their lives and hundreds of wounded were initiated by active military officers in the SSPDF as shown by their Identification Cards,” reads the caption of the Facebook post that contained both his nationality certificate and Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) Identity Card.

The post did not give further details. 

Screenshot of the misleading post

However, in reply to the post, Mwijukye commented that the information was fake and should be disregarded. “Disregard it. Fake,” he said in a comment on the post.

A statement from Robert’s brother, Lodiong David Lubang says that the picture of the documents shared on social media were taken by an officer at the Nimule border as his brother signed out to go attend the burial of his mother-in-law in Uganda.

“The very photo shared was taken by one clearence officer of his cadre at the Nimule border. Why he released it is not known, but I can assert and say that the information is false,” Mwijukwe’s brother, Lodiong David said in a statement shared with 211 Check.

Media reports on the latest conflict between pastoralists and local farmers by Eye Radio and The City Review quoting Authorities in Eastern Equatoria State could not establish the parties to the conlict.

211 Check has looked into a claim that Mwijukye Robert Lubang is part of a group who initiated a conflict in Magwi and finds it to be false. Lodiong David Lubang, Robert’s brother says Robert is in Uganda attending his mother-in-law’s burial.

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re not sure about or don’t know where it came from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.