Joint security forces have intensified operations to curb the resurgence of insecurity in North Karamoja, where armed warriors have renewed attacks on communities, killing civilians and stealing livestock.
The most affected districts, Kotido, Kaabong, and Karenga, have reported multiple incidents in recent weeks, leaving residents on edge. At least two people have been killed in Kaabong District in the past two weeks alone.
In one incident, Grace Lakica Okello, a teacher at Kotome Community Primary School, was shot dead just two days before the start of the Primary Leaving Examinations. In another incident, a boda boda rider was ambushed and killed by suspected Dodoth armed warriors along the Lodiko-Kotome road.
According to Michael Longole, the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson, the fatal ambush occurred on Saturday at around 6:40 p.m. The cyclist, riding a motorcycle with registration number KMGB 552C, was shot when he ran into an ambush laid by the assailants.
“Our personnel from Lodiko detach responded swiftly, but unfortunately, the suspected warriors had already fled the scene,” Longole said. The officers recovered the motorcycle, while the victim’s body was taken to Kaabong General Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
On the same night, another group of armed Karamojong warriors raided Wankenya Village in Lobalangit Sub-county, Karenga District, stealing 33 head of cattle belonging to a resident, Lomoi Kalanda. Security forces from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) responded promptly, recovering 24 animals, though nine remain missing.
Longole said investigations are ongoing to recover the remaining cattle and apprehend the culprits. He added that joint security agencies have launched broader investigations into the causes of the renewed violence in the sub-region.
In a related operation, the joint forces over the weekend arrested a notorious armed warrior in Kotido District, found dressed in a full uniform of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces-UPDF. The suspect, identified as Apanamut Mojong, aged 21, from Nataba Cell, Lokitelaebu Town Council, was allegedly involved in a series of armed robberies and raids in Kamor Sub-county, Kanawat in West Division, and Napumpum Sub-county.
“Mojong has been terrorising trading centres while posing as a UPDF officer and brandishing firearms,” Longole revealed. He said the suspect is currently in custody pending interrogation and prosecution.
Longole noted that these operations reflect the renewed commitment by joint security forces to restore peace and stability in the region.
“The joint operations have recorded significant progress, and we remain steadfast in ensuring that law and order prevail in Karamoja,” he said.
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