Officials in Torit County of Eastern Equatoria State say at least four children, three boys, and one girl were abducted in Isaloro boma of Imurok Payam on Saturday.
James Atada Cirino, a local youth, told Radi Tamazuj on Monday that they were not able to recover the children despite following the footmarks.
“The abducted children are James Okurio, 8, Ben Arama, 3, John Moses, 7, and Jennifer Imoli, 6 years old. We tried to follow up to Olere and the footmarks headed to Omo Bush. We also followed far to Torok. The abductors are two in number and they are carrying two children on their backs while two children are footing,” he claimed.
Cirino is calling on the state government to arm local youth so that they can patrol and provide protection to the people of Imurok.
“We have enough youth and they are not armed. We need the state ministry of interior to look into such an issue. Our community is peaceful, we don’t kill, steal or abduct. But people are always abducting our children, and killing our people and the government is keeping quiet,” he said. “Since the government disarmed Torit county some years ago, we are now using spears and bows for protection and we can’t with people holding guns.”
Isaloro community chairperson James Taban Patrick said he was saddened by the abduction of the four children and urged the government to establish a security post in the area for civilian protection.
“They say Murle but we did not confirm that they are the ones because it’s unknown gunmen. These people were brought sometimes, some had military uniforms and some did not,” he said.
But according to Torit County Commissioner Jacob Attari Albano, the abductors are likely from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
“I suspect Murle because Murle are the ones usually kidnapping children in the side of Lowoi, Lokoya, and the whole of that area. I always tell the Monyiemiji of Lofiriha, Kudo, even up to Ilanyi these sides that it is not good for people to abduct children successfully like that without proper follow-up. They are supposed to follow these people and the government will come after. But if you don’t follow and just come and say they have taken, I’m not happy with them,” Commissioner Attari said.
He complained that the local youth have been uncooperative in security matters.
Officials say over 26 children have been abducted from the area while three women were killed during abductions since 2015.
Efforts to reach Pibor authorities were unsuccessful.