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Claim: A Facebook user, ‘Issiaka the Blogger,’ posted a video claiming that the people in the video are a new terrorist group in Nigeria.
Verdict: False. The people in the video are members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) in South Sudan.
Full Text
A Facebook user, ‘Issiaka the Blogger,’ on July 19, 2026, posted a video (archived here) claiming that the people in the video are a new terrorist group in Nigeria.
The caption on the video reads, “These are the newest arms group in Yankin Nigeria.”
As of July 25, 2026, the video had garnered over 10,000 views, 72 likes, 50 comments, and 14 shares.
The comments on the post reflected fear and concern about the alleged terrorist group, with some users calling for the government to cut off their access to ammunition and food.
On the contrary, some users speculated that the group may have links to Sudan.
Adebimpe Margaret Ogunwumi said, “Let the government cut off the link to their ammunition and food supply.” Aliyu Xubairu said, “Na u be there gang leader abi from Sudan to Nigeria base.” Israel Adedeji said, “Let us face it that the jihadists are here. Pls let us direct our investments in getting ammunition. Government cannot face this alone. People wake up.”
The video was also shared here, here, here and here.
Nigeria has several terrorist and armed groups operating across different parts of the country. Some of the prominent groups include Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Ansaru, alongside emerging groups such as Lakurawa, which have continued to contribute to insecurity in the country.
But is there a new terrorist group in Nigeria?
DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim because of the potential to mislead the public and create fear by falsely linking a group operating in another country to terrorism in Nigeria.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a reverse Google image search using a screenshot from the video and discovered that the video was first posted on June 4, 2026, by a Facebook page called Naath Sky TV.
The video was posted with the caption, “Viva SPLA-IO. These are the freedom fighters. Free Dr Machar and stop killing innocent Nuer. Viva Victory.”
DUBAWA searched some of the words contained in the post, including “Viva SPLA-IO.”
The search revealed that the SPLA-IO refers to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition, the armed wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), a political movement in South Sudan led by Riek Machar.
The phrase “Viva SPLA-IO” is a slogan commonly used by supporters of the group to express solidarity and loyalty.
DUBAWA also searched for information about Dr Machar and found that his full name is Dr Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, a South Sudanese politician and former rebel leader. He serves as the suspended First Vice President of South Sudan and is currently facing a high-profile trial on charges including treason, murder, and crimes against humanity.
DUBAWA also searched for the meaning of the word “Nuer.” The search revealed that Nuer are the second-largest ethnic group in South Sudan. They are primarily pastoral cattle herders who call themselves Naath and live mainly in the Nile River swamp and savanna regions.
When DUBAWA checked posts published on the Naath Sky TV Facebook page, we discovered that the page primarily shares news stories and developments from South Sudan.
The video was also posted by another Facebook page named ‘Dr Riek Machar 4 Presidency with the same caption, “Viva SPLA-IO. These are the freedom fighters. Free Dr Machar and stop killing innocent Nuer. Viva Victory.”
DUBAWA also reached out to a journalist in South Sudan, Alhadi Hawari of Eye Radio South Sudan, who confirmed that the language spoken in the video is Nuer, a language spoken in South Sudan.
He said, “Those people are South Sudanese; they are speaking the Nuer language.”
Nuer, also known as Thok Naath, is a major Nilotic language spoken by roughly one to two million people, primarily in South Sudan, where it is the language of the country’s second-largest ethnic group. The language is also spoken by diaspora communities and in parts of western Ethiopia.
The findings therefore show that the people in the video are not members of a new terrorist group in Nigeria, as claimed. Instead, the video shows individuals associated with the SPLA-IO in South Sudan.
Conclusion
The claim that the people shown in the video are members of a new terrorist group in Nigeria is false. DUBAWA’s findings show that the video originated from South Sudan and features individuals associated with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO).
