Writer: PesaCheck

A Facebook post with a TikTok video purportedly of a hospitality robot made by the Federal University Oye-Ekiti in Nigeria is FALSE.

The post reads, “This is Nigeria. This Robot was designed and constructed by the Department of Mechatronics, Federal University, Oye- Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. ‘A Robot Serving food in a restaurant’.”

The post adds, “As you can listen to the background discussion. Nigeria is building capacity to catch-up with global technology.”

A search for the TikTok username @house_of_lovedoctor visible in the video in question established that the video was filmed in the United States (US).

The TikTok account shared the post on 26 September 2023 with the caption, “At any point where a customer obstructs ANITA’S operation, she cries for help. Shop located at 4150 Lafayette rd, IN 46254 Indianapolis. AFS Kitchen.”

AFS Kitchen is an African restaurant in Indianapolis, USA.

On 21 September 2023, the creator shared a different post of the robot at the same restaurant with Indianapolis as the tagged location and responded to a comment clarifying it is not in Nigeria but in the USA.

A reverse image search of a screenshot of the robot from the video on Yandex established that it is a product of a US-based company and not manufactured in Nigeria, as alleged.

Images of the robot were featured in an article dated 15 March 2022 titled, “Bear Robotics Raises $81M Series B to Scale Up Mobile Robots in the Hospitality Market.”

Bear Robotics has manufactured two hospitality robots dubbed “Servi” and “Servi Plus”, which have been deployed to various restaurants globally.

There is no news of the said invention from Nigeria’s Federal University Oye-Ekiti from a credible source.

PesaCheck has looked into a Facebook post with a video purportedly of a hospitality robot made by the Federal University Oye-Ekiti in Nigeria and finds it to be FALSE.

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.

The post FALSE: This video is not of a hospitality robot made by the Federal University Oye-Ekiti in Nigeria appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

An image shared on Facebook purporting to show an overpass in South Sudan is false. 

The image was posted on the Ruweng Eye page on September 30, 2023, and shows a road with a few cars along and a flyover, also known as an overpass. Multiple-storey buildings can also be seen in the background. 

The post, which was captioned “Welcome to Juba, South Sudan”, attracted several comments, some with differing opinions, which prompted 211 Check to investigate.

Investigation:

A Google Reverse Image Search shows that this picture is of  Nairobi, Kenya and has been used on various sites before. 

On June 10, 2021, The Standard Media, a news outlet in Kenya, posted a picture of the overpass from a different angle. The image is captioned ‘An aerial view of Nairobi City from Ngara’, and one can see the overpass and the tall building with blue glass windows as in the image under scrutiny.  

211 Check also found a Greyscale edit of the same photo shared on Pinterest and captioned: ‘Globe Cinema Roundabout, Nairobi, Kenya.’

A search for ‘Globe Cinema Roundabout’ on Google Maps brought the exact location of the roundabout, which is Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.   

Other instances where photos of the roundabout have been shared and attributed to Nairobi, Kenya, are here and here, 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that there is a flyover bridge in Juba, South Sudan, false. Our investigation shows that the flyover bridge is the Globe Cinema Roundabout in Nairobi, Kenya.  

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.

The post <strong>Fact-check: Is this overpass in Juba, South Sudan?</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

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.

The post FAKE: This screen grab, supposedly of an Equity Bank response to a customer, is fabricated appeared first on 211CHECK.

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. 

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.

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.

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

The post <strong>Fact-check: Is this tiger dog from South Sudan or Uganda?</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

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?

See more pictures below:-

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

The post <strong>Fact-check: This excited man standing behind a lady isn’t a University of Juba student</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A Facebook post by Klia Media.ug claiming to show a house allegedly built in Uganda by a Ugandan menial labourer working in Saudi Arabia is false.

The page shared images of two buildings and two pictures of the same person in different situations. In the photo, there are pictures of a dilapidated building and a newly built mansion. It was accompanied by a caption in both Luganda and English.

Screenshot of the post as shown on Klia Media.ug

“Kadama we Saudi abikooze!!

2 year contract in Saudi Arabia congs Aisha”

Kadama is a common Luganda (unregistered) slang term, literally translated as someone doing a menial labour job. Therefore, the post translates to: “A migrant worker in Saudi Arabia has done it! A 2-year contract in Saudi Arabia. Congratulations Aisha.”

The post, which was shared on August 31, 2023, attracted 37k reactions, 5.7k comments, and 69 shares. However, some of the commenters pointed out that the pictures were taken in Nigeria, while others claimed that a two-year contract salary in Saudi Arabia as a housekeeper cannot raise such a house,amidst hundreds of congratulations. This prompted 211Check to run an investigation. 

Claim Verification:

211 Check ran a Google Lens search, which showed that the image had been used on the internet since December 2017, and traced the picture to Nigeria. 

NairaLand Forum, on December 27, 2017, ran a story with the headline, Nollywood Actress Chizzy Alichi Builds Mansion For Her Parent.

The site also attached two pictures of the dilapidated building and the new mansion. They explain that they got the information from her Instagram account and quote her as having said:

“People have always refer to me as “mgbeke” (local girl) that I don’t know fashion or carry designer bags/shoes/clothes. That I don’t wear expensive hair. Well, my darlings, I do know and want to wear those things, but I have been saving for this building right here. I can’t remember d last time my family travelled for Xmas because their is no house to stay (sic).”

Torizone, another Nigerian online news outlet, published the same story with the same pictures on December 26, 2017.

Similarly, Legit, another Nigerian online newspaper, published a story on October 27, 2022, with the headline, Nollywood actress Chizzy Alichi builds a mansion for her parents.  

The image has been widely used on the internet, and here are some of the sources; here, here, here, and here, among others.

In the claim, the page claims the owner of the house is called Aisha; however, all the sources 211Check has gathered clearly define the owner of the house as Chizzy Alichi.

Chizzy Alichi’s Biography

Chigozie Stephanie Alichi, often known as Chizzy Alichi, is a Nigerian film actress born on December 23, 1993. She stumbled into Nollywood in 2010. She joined the Actors Guild of Nigeria by chance, applied for a movie role, and landed her first acting job.

A picture of Chizzy Alichi as used by Yours Truly

Housekeeping jobs in the Middle East:

The demand for housekeeping jobs in the Middle East has been on the rise, and East Africa, particularly Uganda, has been one of the fertile grounds for providing the needed human resources. 

According to a publication by The Monitor Newspaper, this was made easier by emerging companies (1 and 2), which help facilitate the processes of visa processing and transportation. 

In the long run, many people have successfully emigrated and gotten jobs with ease. However, there have been moments when the media reported on situations where workers became victims of mistreatment while in the Middle East.

A screenshot of a publication by Monitor Newspaper 

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the viral pictures of Aisha, a Ugandan menial labourer in Saudi Arabia, are false; the pictures are of actress Chizzy Alichi and were taken in 2017, when she built her parents a mansion in Nigeria.  

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.

The post <strong>Fact-check: Was this house built in Uganda by a menial labourer working in Saudi Arabia?</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A picture of a man holding a pistol accompanying a story by the Ugandan website The Ankole Times, with the headline “Gun Drama Unfolds in Bugolobi Market, Private Security Guard Unleashes Mayhem,” is false. 

The photo shows the man holding a pistol on a deserted road, with a few bodaboda men and journalists taking pictures. It also shows shopping arcades (stores) that were closed and a road that was clearly marked.

“In the not-so-bustling market of Bugolobi, a surprising turn of events unfolded when a private security guard, Aijuka Rode, decided to play cop in a local drinks and merchandise shop. Unfortunately, his aim wasn’t as impressive as his delusions of grandeur. A female shopkeeper, Mutesi Zainabu, found herself caught in the crossfire of an alleged altercation with our wannabe Rambo. Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the less-than-heroic incident…,” partially reads the article published on July 29, 2023.

211Check Investigation:

An internet search of the keywords “A guard shoots people at Bugolobi market” returns many results confirming the incident as reported by the following media houses, here, here, here, and here.

The news reports by the media established the identities of the guard as Arode Aijuka and the victim of the shooting as Zainabu Mutesi. The incident also reportedly took place at night, raising doubts about the image used by The Ankole Times. 

A Reverse Image Search of the picture shows that the image has been used on earlier dates by different users, including the Ankole Times, this time with a headline on demonstrations in Kenya. The article makes reference to a Kenyan MP brandishing a firearm at protesters.  

Consequently, a keyword search using ‘MP Holds a Gun in Kenya in 2023’ produced many results showing that the man in the photo is Nakuru West Member of Parliament Samuel Arama.

The MP reportedly drew his gun when a group of demonstrators allegedly vandalised his hotel during anti-government protests on July 19, 2023. The incident was widely reported, as seen here, here, here, and here. 

In a news report by Kenyans.co.ke, the MP is quoted as having said: “We are all Kenyans; we also voted for Raila, but he lost to William Ruto. Why should these people destroying property not get shot?”

Conclusion.

211 Check finds the picture used by the Ankole Times purportedly showing a guard who shot a woman in Bugolobi as false and misleading. In the picture is Nakuru West Constituency MP Samuel Arama, The image was taken during the demonstrations in Kenya, where demonstrators allegedly vandalised his hotel.

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

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 

The post <strong>Fact-check: Was this picture of a man holding a gun taken in Bugolobi, Kampala?</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A Facebook post by Christian Kur Dengdit falsely shared a photo of a place in Lesotho, claiming it shows Juba’s landscape in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

The photo is one of four meant to show the gradual changes in Juba’s appearance and compares it to another photo of Juba in recent years. 

“Changes never just happen now and then, it takes time to work out….see Juba and UoJ [University of Juba] in previous yrs and currently, and otherwise we’re very proud now and happy on our land (sic),” reads part of the text accompanying the photos.

The claim by Dengdit also featured pictures of the University of Juba tower dating back to 2008, 2009 and the university’s current modernised building.

The post’s author also tagged the University of Juba Vice Chancellor, Professor John Akec and 16 other Facebook users.

Prof. Akec then  re-shared the post  on his timeline,  terming it an “interesting reflection” while charging that “change is not automatic.”

“Interesting reflection… Change takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. Change is not automatic, either. Most of the development is private-sector funded. Few buildings are public, I think,” wrote Prof. John as he shared the claim, which attracted hundreds of reactions. 

The photo has also been shared on Facebook in the past, where the author claimed it was Juba in 2004 before the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Investigation

However, 211 Check investigated and traced the origin of the photo using Google Lens, and it appeared that it is a place in rural Lesotho, a country in Southern Africa. The image was also featured in an article by PV Magazine, which published a story in 2019 about a solar project in Lesotho. 

Pxhere describes the image as a high-resolution picture taken from  Lesotho and is free to download.

“The free high-resolution photo of landscape, town, village, ruins, Bergdorf, slum, wadi, Karg, ancient history, Lesotho, rondavels, human settlement taken with an unknown camera 02/13 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.”

Other sources that used the image are African News, Pixabay and Apolitical, which ran a story on the state of the health sector in Lesotho which featured the same photo.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the picture claimed to show Juba’s landscape in 2002, 2003, and 2004 is false and misinforms the public. The photo is of a place in the rural area of Lesotho and has been used freely and several times on the internet.

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

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 is crucial to fight against misinformation and disinformation in mainstream and alternative media by avoiding becoming a victim of fake news. To prevent the spread of false information, you must refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or unaware of its origin. Disinformation and misinformation can be incredibly dangerous because they can mislead people and cause harm. For instance, false information on health matters can lead to wrong decisions that can put people’s lives at risk. Therefore, it’s vital to fact-check information before sharing it to promote accurate and reliable information. Visit https://211check.org/ for more details on our fact-checking process, or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 if you want to present a claim. Our team will promptly respond to your request because we believe #FactsMatter.

The post <strong>Fact-check: Was this how Juba looked in 2002, 2003, and 2004?</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Jibi Moses 

Voice of Juba, a Facebook page posted on the 18th March 2023, pictures of some parts of the globe, mainly the African continent, with claims that Scientists have discovered a new ocean forming as Africa begins to split.

The post claimed this discovery could see East Africa forming its separate continent. South Sudan, Zambia and Uganda could one day have their coastlines if the land mass continues to separate. 

Investigation:

On carrying out Google and Bing searches, several results show that there is a possibility of an Ocean forming in East Africa, given the presence of the rift Valley backed by scientific evidence. The rift Valley spreads itself from the southern part of Africa to the East African countries of Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia and connects to the Red Sea. 

However, these sources clearly state that this process would take millions of years to happen as it’s gradual. These explanations are seen here below as 1, 2, 3, 4. Besides, these youtube videos explain more 1, 2.

“This is the only place on Earth where you can study how a continental rift becomes an oceanic rift,” said Christopher Moore, a PhD doctoral student at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, who has been using satellite radar to monitor volcanic activity in East Africa that is associated with the continent’s breakup.

It’s thought that Africa’s new ocean will take at least between five million and ten million years to form.

The East African Valley:

The East African Rift (EAR) or East African Rift System (EARS) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago.^[1] In the past, it was considered part of a larger Great Rift Valley that extended north to Asia Minor.

A narrow zone, the rift is a developing divergent tectonic plate boundary where the African Plate is splitting into two tectonic plates, called the Somali Plate and the Nubian Plate, at a rate of 6-7 mm per year.^[2] The rift system consists of three microplates, the Victoria Microplate to the north and the Rovuma and Lwandle microplates to the south. The Victoria Microplate is rotating anti-clockwise for the African plate. Its rotation is caused by the configuration of mechanically weaker and stronger lithospheric regions in the East African Rift system.

In addition to this description, many geologists and geological houses have described it as here here here, here, and here, 

Tectonic plates and  forces:

A tectonic plate (a lithospheric plate) is a massive, irregularly shaped solid rock, generally composed of continental and oceanic lithosphere. Plate size can vary greatly, from a few hundred to thousands of kilometres across; the Pacific and Antarctic Plates are among the largest. There are seven significant plates; Pacific Plate, North American Plate, Eurasian Plate, African Plate, Antarctic Plate, Indo-Australian Plate, and South American Plate. 

Meanwhile, Tectonic forces refer to the forces or conditions within the earth that cause crust movements. designating the results of such movements: tectonic valleys. These forces are significant in forming the continents and subsequent features like rift valleys and lakes.

Conclusion:

Given the evidence from science that East Africa is within the East African Rift Valley System, which is active as evidenced by the active volcanic mountains and the changes (expansion) of the rift valley every year and in addition, the proof by science that tectonic plate (African Plate) on which the East African part of the continent lies are moving apart over time, it is true that a new ocean is forming in East Africa. The Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea will flood over the Afar region and into the East African Rift Valley and become a new ocean, and that part of East Africa will become its own separate small continent.

However, this is expected to happen in a million years to come, as these changes are happening in a very gradual process.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

The post <strong> Fact-check: Is a new ocean forming in East Africa? Yes, scientists say so</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

Sixty 4 Tribes Press, a controversial Facebook page, posted a report on March 20, 2023, that protestors in Kenya had badly shattered a South Sudan embassy vehicle in Nairobi.

“A South Sudan embassy vehicle in Nairobi has been badly shattered by protesters as protests heightened in the Kenya capital,” the post reads.

The Sixty 4 Tribes Press, a Facebook page with over 57,000 followers, has been in the limelight for sharing hate speech and misinformation-related content.

However, the claim is false because according to Google Lens searches here, here, and here, the pictures shared and posted were used on different pages, years and in different countries and not from a recent incident in Kenya. 

It was taken near the Heatherly Cemetery in Mamelodi East, following fracas over a housing controversy, and credited to Oupa Mokoena of Pretoria News. Police were forced to use a stun grenade to disperse the crowd, sending people running for cover.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that protestors have destroyed a South Sudan embassy vehicle in Nairobi, Kenya false

The pictures were randomly collected from the internet to fabricate a story which has not occurred anywhere in Nairobi, Kenya in the wake of the announcement of the Pro Raila protest.

Fight misinformation in mainstream and alternative media by not being a victim of fake news. Refrain from sharing content you are unsure about or don’t know where it comes from to prevent spreading false information. For more information on our fact-checking process, visit https://211check.org/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim. Our team will fact-check it and respond promptly. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check</strong>: These images are not of a protest in Nairobi, Kenya appeared first on 211CHECK.