Lam Akol, the chairman of South Sudan's official opposition party, lashed out at President Salva Kiir’s security personnel for their ongoing detention of former Western Equatoria Governor Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro.

SPLM-DC Chairman Akol told Radio Tamazuj the detention was “unconstitutional” and said if the detainee had done something illegal he should have been taken to court. Akol also slammed the presidential decrees Kiir issued earlier this week removing Bakosoro and three other governors.

“To us these are unconstitutional decrees because article 101 (R) talks of changes if there is instability, but we didn’t see it in the areas where the governors were changed,” he said. “This government interprets articles as it wishes.”

Kiir issued the decree firing Bakosoro, along with the governors of Central Equatoria, Upper Nile and Warrap states on state television Sunday evening. Bakosoro was then arrested for unspecified reasons and has been kept in detention in a secret location.

Western Equatoria State Information Minister Charles Kisanga said they only just heard about Bakosoro’s detention and cannot comment on what has happened. He said it was the responsibility of the national government to issue a statement.