Beware of Thugs Riding Motorcycles at Night, UPDF Warns

Uganda People Defence Forces –UPDF have expressed concern over increasing cases of thugs moving on motorcycles in the night hours. First Division Spokesperson, Maj Yusuf Bilal Katamba, said a number of thugs are moving on motorcycles late in the night purposely either targeting people walking alone or going to rob and kill.

Maj Katamba bases the warning on many cases where Local Defence Units –LDUs on their foot night patrols have intercepted thugs moving on motorcycles with rudimentary weapons such as machetes, knives and clubs.

Some of the latest incidents have been registered in Nabweru Division, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District and Ndege Lubugumu, where motorcycles and killer rudimentary weapons have been impounded. In some cases, suspects have been arrested while majority have been running away but abandoning motorcycles.

Maj Katamba identified the motorcycles impounded last night as UDV 992F and UEM 426H all Bajaj Boxers. These, according to Maj Katamba, are some of the numerous cases they have been encountering since curfew was imposed.

“It gives us a picture that these are the people targeting people in the night. We urge people to avoid using Boda-bodas in the night but also motorists should avoid moving beyond curfew time because thugs are also using the same time,” Maj Katamba said.

Cue in “every sharp machete…

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UPDF said whoever will be found riding a motorcycle in wee hours will be arrested since they have intensified operations on thugs terrorizing people using motorcycles. President Yoweri Museveni has maintained a 6pm and 9pm curfew on motorcyclist and drivers respectively.

The curfew among other measures such as closure of educational institutions and bars was put in place to curb the spread of novel Coronavirus Disease. UPDF said people should respect curfew time in order to avoid landing into hands of criminals.

//cue in “kituwa okulowooza…

Cue out “…obude obwabawebwa”//

Although Maj Katamba could not readily provide statistics on cases where LDUs have intercepted suspected thugs moving on motorcycles since curfew was announced in March, he said the cases are many and people need to be more careful.

Last year, joint security operation arrested more than 15 suspected thugs that had killed at least 20 Boda-boda riders in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono districts. One group of suspected thugs was led by Young Mulo whose arrest came after their strangulation of Boda-boda rider, Derrick Mulindwa, was captured by CCTV cameras in Mengo. There more than 6000 LDUs in Kampala metropolitan.