A group of bandits attacked a lorry carrying goats along the Kapoeta-Torit road in Eastern Equatoria State and made away with 250 goats on Thursday, local officials said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Torit County Commissioner Jacob Attari Albano said: “The vehicle carrying goats was attacked at the junction of Haforiere, and the attackers made away with 250 goats. The same criminals attacked another vehicle that was carrying cows, but they were repulsed, and the vehicle arrived safely in Torit.”
The official further said no one was hurt in the attack.
Meanwhile, Galileo Ohide, the Paramount Chief of Hiyalla Payam, confirmed the incident and said the identity of the group who ambushed the commercial vehicle remains unknown.
“The business people came, and some criminals attacked them on the road. I don’t know who those people are, the attack happened between Idolu Bridge and New Kenya, and the business vehicle was coming from Kapoeta,” he said.
“These are just a few criminals from these areas, not everyone. We need to follow up to know who exactly is responsible for the crime,” he added.
For his part, the Eastern Equatoria State Information Minister Patrick Oting Cyprian said the security situation is stable in the state.
“The security situation is very calm, and we found out that the crime rate is declining, and also those people travelling from Juba and other roads are also testifying that the free movement is there,” he said.
Charles Okullu, a civil society activist, described the incident as dangerous and called on the government to take such road attacks seriously.
He appealed to the government to investigate the incident and provide security to road users to avoid such attacks.