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Suspected Warriors Attack Airtel Crew, Killing One in Kotido District

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A security officer, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed that the deceased, Stephen Lochu, had previously been recruited by the UPDF in 2022 to work as a security informer.
Airtel staff killed by Karamojong warriors in Nakoreto trading center, kotido district

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Suspected armed Karamojong warriors attacked an Airtel crew, killing one person on the spot in Longaroe Sub-county, Kotido District on Monday. The incident occurred around 9:45 AM at Nakoreto Trading Center, where the team had gone to sell Airtel products and register SIM cards.

It is alleged that five unidentified Karamojong warriors, armed with two guns, opened fire on the vehicle, killing one staff member, identified as Stephen Lochu. The exact number of staff on board is unclear, but eyewitnesses reported seeing people fleeing in different directions, including one man believed to be the driver.

Peter Achilla, a resident of Nakoreto village, said he was returning from Lokomebu village when he discovered the lifeless body of Lochu lying in a pool of blood at Nakoreto Trading Center. Achilla also spotted the driver running for his life as security forces approached the scene of the attack. He described how the normally bustling trading center had fallen eerily quiet, with residents fleeing to safety.

Upon reaching his home, about one kilometer from the scene, Achilla found his family had also fled to an unknown location. He later observed security forces firing live bullets into the air as they searched homes around the trading center for any clues.

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Rebecca Acheboi, a resident of Kotido Municipality, said she immediately contacted the Airtel office in Kotido after learning about the attack, as she has a relative working there. Acheboi was informed that another team had been selling SIM cards and registering customers when the warriors launched their assault. She expressed concern over the increasing violence and called for swift action to prevent further bloodshed.

Acheboi emphasized that while security forces are making efforts to control the situation, the killings continue unabated, as the bandits live within the community. She noted that residents are aware of the identities of the perpetrators but are too frightened to report them, fearing for their lives. Acheboi blamed the community for harboring these criminals, who, in turn, terrorize and kill innocent people.

She described the bandits as brazen and indifferent to taking lives, as murder has become a normalized aspect of their lifestyle. Acheboi called on joint security forces to intensify their operations and crack down on the illegal guns that have infiltrated the area.

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Meanwhile, both the police and Kotido Resident District Commissioner, when contacted by phone, stated they were still gathering information and would provide updates later. A security officer, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed that the deceased, Stephen Lochu, had previously been recruited by the UPDF in 2022 to work as a security informer. 

The warriors had allegedly begun targeting him after accusing him of supplying intelligence on their cattle-raiding activities to the authorities. He sought refuge at Nakwanamoru Army Barracks before recently joining the Airtel sales team.

This attack follows a similar incident last month, when unknown armed Karamojong warriors, suspected to be from the Jie tribe, shot and killed Mario Lotyang Lokaino, the LCIII Chairperson of Kotido Sub-county. Lokaino was shot dead around 8:00 PM at Lokitelebu Trading Center.