Mike Longole, the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson said that the operations demonstrate the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations and community cooperation in combating illegal possession of firearms.
The security forces who were deployed in Napeikoroi grounds received intelligence about the suspected warriors possessing illegal firearms. They responded swiftly and recovered two submachine guns number K53 (01 rounds) and NK6899 (09 rounds) from Peter Lomojong and John Lokori respectively.
The operations were led following the intelligence that suspected ten South Sudanese National were spotted entering the park through the porous borders to hunt wild animals.
The cows were stolen on April 25, from Kaiselem village in Poron Sub-county, Napak district from the sons of area residents Paul Longok and Longole Apariyo who were grazing livestock when heavy rains started. It was during this time that wrong elements raided the cows and quickly crossed over to Usuk.
Colonel Richard Kidega, the 403rd Infantry Division commander, explained that the decision was made because it became difficult for the forces to care for the animals due to the lack of pasture and water.
According to the UPDF, the Karamojong shrines have been misleading the cattle rustlers by giving them false protection from being killed during raids. Gen Peter Elwelu, the deputy commander of Land Forces in the Uganda People's Defense Forces-UPDF, says that the shrines are used to empower the raiders.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga police spokesperson, says that the affected people reported the theft at Otuke Central Police Station prompting the UPDF, ASTU, and police from Abim district to launch an operation to recover the animals.
