Police in Arua District have arrested two suspected highway robbers accused of stealing relief food destined for refugees in Palorinya Settlement, Obongi District.
The suspects, identified as Godwin Asara, 18, and Brian Sabute, 21, both residents of Ajia Sub County in Arua, were apprehended following a nighttime robbery near Kamukamu Trading Centre, along the Arua-Nebbi-Kampala highway.
According to preliminary police findings, the incident occurred around midnight when a trailer transporting relief food to Palorinya was ambushed by a group of machete-wielding youths.
Josephine Angucia, the Police spokesperson for the West Nile region, says that the attackers attempted to stop the vehicle, and when the driver refused to comply, they boarded the moving truck and began throwing bags of posho onto the roadside.
The driver alerted police, who swiftly responded from Arua Central Police Station. A search operation in the nearby bushes led to the interception of a Toyota Harrier (UAW 012A) carrying four stolen bags of posho. Two suspects were arrested at the scene, and their motorcycle was impounded as part of the ongoing investigations.
Police say the arrests are part of continued efforts to curb a growing wave of highway robberies in the West Nile region. In recent years, criminals have exploited the poor state of the Nebbi-Arua highway, where deep potholes slow down traffic and make cargo vehicles vulnerable to attack.
Palorinya Refugee Settlement, home to more than 70,000 refugees, relies heavily on relief supplies delivered by road. Authorities have expressed concern that such incidents not only endanger drivers but also threaten the welfare of already vulnerable refugee populations.
Police have urged transporters to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity along major transport routes as investigations into the incident continue.
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