Fact-check: Document claiming Unity State governor ordered mobilisation of ‘Terchuong’ forces is fake

Fact-check: Document claiming Unity State governor ordered mobilisation of ‘Terchuong’ forces is fake

***The Office of the Governor of Unity State has denounced it. ***

Writer: Makur Majeng

A document circulating online claiming to be a press release from the Office of the Governor of Unity State, Lt. Gen. Dr. Joseph Manytuil Wejang, is fake.

The document, dated 26 August 2026, posted here (archived here) is addressed to Hon. Bol Mayak, Commissioner of Mayom County, and claims that the governor ordered the mobilisation and training of ‘Terchuong’ as a special force at Mayom Headquarters.

It further claims that the country is expected to go to war and that President Salva Kiir “may not come back healthy.”

The document carries the letterhead of the Government of Unity State, the national emblem, a Unity State Governor’s logo, an official-looking stamp and a signature attributed to Governor Manytuil.

The document has been circulating online, including on Facebook and WhatsApp.

A screenshot of a document circulating online alleging the Unity State Governor, Joseph Manytuil has ordered the mobilisation and training of “Terchuong” as a special force in Mayom County.

What we found

Hot in Juba CheckDesk compared the circulating document with authentic documents issued by the Office of the Governor of Unity State.

The comparison found several differences in the documents’ reference numbers, formatting, typography and wording.

The Office of the Governor of Unity State has also publicly dismissed the circulating document as fake.

Differences in the reference number

An authentic document, dated 8 July 2026, carries the reference number: Ref: USB/G’O/2.** A.1**
Similarly, another document shared by the governor’s office on 20 August 2026 carries the reference number:** Ref: USB/G’O/2. A.1, **while another shared on 19 June 2026 carries reference number: USB/G’O/1. A.2

The circulating document, dated 26 August 2026, instead carries: **Ref: USB/GO/5-22. **

While government offices may use different reference numbers for different communications, the difference in format is one of several irregularities identified during the comparison.

A comparison of the reference numbers on the authentic and circulating documents.

Differences in formatting and typography

The authentic document issued by the Governor’s Office uses a consistent layout, typography and spacing throughout the body of the communication as seen in the document posted here.

The circulating document here uses noticeably heavier and bolder text in its body, with different spacing and alignment.

The structure of the two documents also differs. The authentic document has a clearly defined title, followed by formally structured paragraphs and the Governor’s signature and designation.

The circulating document is headed simply “PRESS RELEASE” and immediately addresses the Commissioner of Mayom County before moving into instructions concerning the mobilisation and training of “Terchuong.”

Side-by-side comparison of an authentic Unity State government document and the fake document.

Original and Authentic document (Left) Fake document (Right) circulating online

The wording contains unusual inconsistencies

The circulating document contains several sentences that are unclear and grammatically unusual for formal government communication.

For example, it states:

“I want to inform you that Terchuong to call to Mayom Headquarters, and train them well as our force.”

It also states:

“Please call the Terchuong to Mayom Headquarters a special force for me.”

Another sentence reads:

“The country is expected to go for war anytime, the president may not comeback healthy.”

These passages do not follow the formal and coherent language normally expected in an official government directive.

The wording alone does not establish that a document is fake. However, when considered together with the differences in formatting and reference numbering, it raises further questions about the document’s authenticity.

Official-looking logos and signatures do not prove authenticity

The document also contains government logos, a stamp and what appears to be the Governor’s signature.

However, these elements can be copied from genuine government documents and incorporated into fabricated documents.

For this reason, Hot in Juba CheckDesk compared the document’s wider structure and content rather than relying only on the presence of official-looking symbols.

The Governor’s Office rejects the document

The Office of the Governor of Unity State issued a public notice on 27 August 2026 addressing the document as posted here.

The notice states that the public should disregard the fake document, describing it as a fabricated document bearing a counterfeit signature and heading of the Office of the Governor.

The Governor’s Press Unit also dismissed the document and its contents circulating on social media as fake and misleading.

The office further advised members of the public and social media users to disregard the document and refrain from further sharing it.

A screenshot of the public notice issued by the Office of the Governor of Unity State.

Conclusion

The document circulating online claiming that Unity State Governor Lt. Gen. Dr. Joseph Manytuil Wejang ordered the mobilisation and training of “Terchuong” forces in Mayom County, is fake.

A comparison with an authentic document from the Office of the Governor shows differences in reference numbering, formatting, typography and wording.

The Office of the Governor of Unity State has also publicly dismissed this document posted here as fabricated and advised the public to disregard it.

This fact-check was produced by Hot in Juba as part of the African Fact-Checking Alliance’s (AFCA) incubation programme. It was produced with peer-mentorship from Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, PesaCheck, with financial support from the* Digital Democracy Initiative** within the framework of the** Digitalise Youth project** led by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).** AFCA mentorship respects the journalistic independence of the researchers, offering access to advanced techniques and tools. Editorial decision-making remains with Hot in Juba. Want to learn more? **Visit:** https://factcheck.africa/*

The post

Fact-check: Document claiming Unity State governor ordered mobilisation of ‘Terchuong’ forces is fake

appeared first on

Hot in Juba

.