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Kotido, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The security forces in the Karamoja region have arrested six suspected warriors who have been terrorizing travelers.
The arrest follows a series of road ambushes and abductions mainly on routes of Abim-Kotido linking to Kaabong district and Kotido to Moroto. The operations which was conducted on Sunday by the joint security forces led to the arrest of six warriors.
Michael Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional Police spokesperson says the suspects were arrested in Nariwo village, North Division, Kotido municipality while in the bar.
Longole identified the suspects as Loyolo Lokwaluk, Lopio Lodengedeng, Lomeri Lopio, Namuya Ngorok, Lokwananya, and Lopira Mario all residents of Nariwo village.
“This group of warriors is believed to be the one causing isolated cases of road ambushes along Kotido-Kaabong, Kotido-Abim, and Kotido-Moroto road,’’ Longole reiterated.
He said that when their houses were searched, they recovered an SMG which they suspect was being used in the ambushes.
Pius Loupa, a peace activist in Kotido district noted that abductions and acts of robbery have increased because the number of cows has reduced.
Loupa says the warriors have resorted to abducting boda boda riders and children whom they later use to induce the travelers as warriors lay ambush to attack.
“The warriors are now developing new tricks of attack since there are no more animals to be raided,’’ Loupa said.
He observed that the warriors are now using phones to coordinate their attacks on road ambushes and sometimes plant their colleagues in town to spy on the travelers.
Last week, suspected Jie warriors staged an ambush on the Abim-Kotido road and shot dead a P3 pupil and injured two others. On Friday, the suspected Karamojong warriors abducted two charcoal burners before shooting them dead in Napak district.
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