Three South Sudanese nationals arrested for illegal entry

Lamwo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Three South Sudanese nationals have been arrested for illegally crossing into Uganda.

Joseph Obalu, James Okulang and Jackson Lukong, all residents of Rumula Payam in the Ikotos County of the Eastern Equatorial State in South Sudan entered Uganda through the porous borders of Madi Opei sub county in Lamwo district.

Jameson Nabinson Kidega, the Lamwo Resident District Commissioner says the three were arrested on Tuesday by residents of Wang Lango village in Madi Opei sub-county.

According to Kidega, the suspects allegedly created new entry points through the bush after they received information that the entry points of Apiriti border point were being manned by security personnel.

Kidega says the suspects were briefly detained at Madi Opei police outpost before being transferred to Palabek Refugee Settlement police outpost.

A police source who preferred anonymity says that the suspects allege that they had crossed into the country to attend to their sick children and wives at Palabek Refugee Settlement Camp.

Kidega stressed that despite the borders being open, all entrants should adhere to all Covid-19 guidelines.

The Palabek Refugee Welfare Council III chairperson John Pascal says the three are registered asylum seekers but investigations are ongoing to establish why they sneaked into the country through the porous border points.

Palabek Refugee Settlement is home to over 57,000 South Sudanese nationals who started entering Uganda in 2013 during the civil war.

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