Security forces in Mayom County of Unity State have reported that they have recovered 20 cattle from suspected raiders and captured three men whom they believe to have been involved in the raiding about 400 cattle from Kuch County recently.

John Bol, the commissioner of Mayom County, confirmed that criminals from his county attacked cattle keepers in Kuch County. The commissioner said that this was unacceptable and he strongly condemned the act.

“It was on the 20th of this month that unidentified criminals went from Mayom and attacked the people of Kuch seriously injuring six people and taking more than 400 cows. I was called by the commissioner of Kuch at night upon my arrival from Bentiu where I had gone to welcome the caretaker governor,” he recalled.

The commissioner disclosed that after being informed by his counterpart from the neighboring county he immediately ordered all the organized forces to intercept the raiders in the area bordering Kuch. “We got 20 cows and 3 suspects when they were coming in with the cattle,” he said

He said that the suspects are “undergoing investigation” to learn more about who else was involved and their whereabouts. “We will recover all the cows and bring the criminals to face justice,” he said.

Earlier this month after the appointment of Joseph Monytuil as caretaker governor over 2000 youth of Mayom gathered at the county headquarters. They called for formation of a committee to carry out the task of promoting peace among cattle keepers.

In spite of this initiative, the raid in the Kuch area followed soon thereafter. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, John Bol defended the peace team, saying it had not yet started its work.

According to the commissioner, some of the youth of Mayom have joined in helping to find the raiders. “This is the spirit they have agreed for and the committee is to start soon to preach the gospel of peace,” he said. 

File photo: Soldiers preparing to deploy out of Mayom, Unity State, June 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)