Army sets up four detachments at Uganda-South Sudan border

Lamwo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Defense force has opened up four detachments in Madi-Opei sub county, Lamwo district.

Some of the detachments which had been abandoned due to limited personnel were reopened following the resurgence of cattle raids by armed south Sudanese cattle thugs from the neighboring Torit state.

According to security officials, each of the detachments will be manned by 20 UPDF personnel to counter the intrusion of armed south Sudanese cattle thugs in the most affected villages of Orogo, kurukuba, Lawiyeoduny, Kirombe, and Lotuku.

The Lamwo Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega, says that the detachments have been opened near community kraals.

He notes that they were revamped partly with the help of the community members who helped construct shelters for the security personnel.

Kidega notes that the detachments will help to provide security for livestock in the area that has been ravaged by cattle thugs during the lock-down period.

He however says they have advised the livestock farmers to ensure that they keep their animals in community kraals which are easier to monitor both by them and the security forces.

Charles Obong Okwera, the Madi-opei sub-county LCIII chairperson notes that the detachments will help to scale down the intrusion of the cattle thugs which had affected normal farming among the community members.

He also notes that the extra security will help to counter any possible influx of people attempting to cross into Uganda from South Sudan amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obong says there is a need to strengthen security presence between Madi-Opei sub county and Agoro sub county were pockets of individuals have been intercepted in the past weeks attempting to illegally enter Lamwo district.

Lamwo district has about 28 porous entry points according to information from the district COVID-19 task-force committee with three active legal entry points of Aweno Olwi, Ngomoromo, and Apiriti.

At least 130 heads of cattle have been looted from Madi-Opei sub county alone by armed South Sudanese cattle thugs since January this year.

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