The Lotuku village LCI Chairperson says the rustlers attacked and brutally killed two herdsmen as they grazed the animals in Oryang village in Lawiyeoduny parish before grabbing some 208 head of cattle and fleeing towards South Sudan.
The Uganda
Peoples Defence Forces -UPDF are pursuing suspected South Sudanese cattle
thieves who raided over 200 head of cattle and killed two herdsmen in Madi
Opei Sub County of Lamwo district on Saturday.
The Lotuku
village LCI Chairperson says the rustlers attacked and brutally killed two herdsmen as
they grazed the animals in Oryang village in Lawiyeoduny parish before raiding
a total of 208 head of cattle and fleeing towards South Sudan.
The deceased
were identified as Joseph Okello 48, and Denis Oroma 38, all residents of
Oran Cell, Lukwee ward in Madi Opei Town Council.
Edward Okeny, a resident who was in company of the deceased but
narrowly survived the incident, says the rustlers believed to be six in number were
armed with bows, arrows and machetes that they used to hack the two.
//Cue in: “joni
okwanyo….//
Cue out:
…..dyang enoni”//
Preliminary findings indicate that
the rustlers took advantage of the mountainous terrain that adjoins the border where they hid the stolen animals
until it was safe for them to cross on Sunday night into Ramula
and Lotome bomahs in the Ikotos County of the Eastern Equatorial State.
The 5th Division UPDF
spokesperson Capt. Amos Nsamba didn’t divulge details of the pursuit although
he says joint security efforts
by the army, its sister security agencies and counterparts in South Sudan are
being made to ensure that the stolen animals are recovered.
Nsamba
condemned the incidents saying the UPDF doesn’t condone acts of criminality
against innocent citizens and pledged commitment towards observance of their
constitutional mandate of protecting lives of Ugandans and their property.
//Cue in: “UPDF
unless….//
Cue out:
…..border is secure”//
The Lamwo
district LCV Chairperson Sisto Ocen Oyet says the incessant attack and killing
has sparked fear, agony and displeasure amongst locals who want security to
expedite actions to recover their animals and thereby restore peace in the area
following persisted attacks by armed rustlers.
According to
Oyet, the indigenous residents majorly youths from the villages of Locimidic
and Lotuko in Lawiye Oduny parish; and Oryang in Pobura parish were planning to
hold a protest over the attack by suspected South Sudan cattle rustlers.
//Cue in: “peko
ni icawa….//
Cue out: …..gi
recovering”//
Oyet however says they are in liaising
with their counterparts of South Sudan and a joint meeting has been convened
for Thursday to devise ways of combating the persistent attacks by the armed
bandits from South Sudan.
Dan Michael Komakech
Freelancer