The disputed letter, dated 3 February 2026 and purportedly issued from the SPLA-IO General Headquarters, claims that forces of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) launched an early morning assault on the cantonment and seized the former Governor of Western Equatoria State while he was on duty.
The document further alleges that commanders had been placed on high alert following the incident.
However, SPLA-IO Spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel strongly refuted the claims, describing the letter as fabricated and intended to mislead the public.
“There is a fake document circulating in the media that Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo has been arrested in the SPLA-IO cantonment site of Rirangu. This is completely false and should be disregarded,” Lam said in an official statement.
He reassured supporters and residents that the general remains safe and continues to command forces in the region.
“Gen. Futuyo is safe with the SPLA-IO forces under his command in and around Western Equatoria,” he added.
Lam also clarified that the alleged location of the incident is no longer under SPLA-IO occupation. According to him, the Rirangu cantonment had already been vacated months ago.
“It should be noted that Rirangu cantonment site was abandoned by the SPLA-IO forces in April 2025 when the SPLM-IG cowardly chose war over peace,” he said.
The spokesperson accused unnamed actors of deliberately spreading misinformation to create panic and sow confusion among civilians and fighters. He warned the public and media outlets against sharing unverified documents, saying such tactics could inflame tensions in an already fragile security environment.
Rirangu, located in Western Equatoria, has been a sensitive military area in recent years amid intermittent clashes between government and opposition forces.
Political and military observers say misinformation campaigns have increasingly become part of the broader conflict landscape, with forged statements often circulated online to undermine rival groups.
SPLA-IO urged the public to rely only on official communication channels and reiterated that its command structure remains intact.
“Our leadership is fully operational, and Gen. Futuyo continues to lead our forces,” Lam emphasised.
The movement maintained that the document should be treated as propaganda and called on supporters to remain calm.
