In a recent incident in Bor town, Jonglei State, a confrontation within the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) resulted in the arrest of 27 congregants by local law enforcement. The clash centred around a disagreement over church leadership on Sunday.

During a Sunday morning service at Langbar church, tensions escalated as members of opposing ECSS factions clashed, causing injuries to several individuals. The conflict emerged when a group led by a bishop was obstructed from entering the church premises by another faction claiming allegiance to a different diocese.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Faustino, the state police commissioner, reported that they received information about the ongoing altercation and promptly intervened to restore order. Subsequently, a total of 27 individuals from the two rival groups were taken into custody.

Gen. Costa provided insight into the incident, explaining, “What happened during Sunday service at 8:00 am was that a bishop belonging to Makuach Diocese led a group of worshippers for prayers to the Langbar church over which he claims authority. On arriving, they were blocked by another group which said the church is loyal to Bor Diocese,” he narrated. “This triggered a fistfight within the church.”

He further elaborated, “Our response was swift, with law enforcement personnel dispatched to the scene. We apprehended 20 individuals from one faction and 7 from the other.”

The detainees are currently under investigation, Gen. Costa disclosed. “On Monday morning, we referred the case to the attorney’s office, which later advised us to conduct additional investigations before proceeding to court. As of now, the suspects are in our custody, undergoing a thorough examination. This incident traces its roots back to a longstanding rivalry within the ECSS church that dates back to 2019. Once our investigation is concluded, these individuals will face trial in court.”