A health worker was waylaid and killed by armed assailants in Pochalla County, Greater Pibor Administrative Area on Friday, local officials and the police said.
Amen Opiew, the county health director, told Radio Tamazuj over the weekend that the deceased, Obang Gony Angwele, was on duty when he was killed in Otalla village on the northern outskirts of Pochalla town on Friday morning.
“The deceased worked at Otallo PHCC, and he was also one of our COVID-19 vaccinators in Pochalla North. He was coming to Pochalla town to deliver a report when was killed outside Otallo,” he said. “Obang was one of our senior health workers with a diploma in clinical nursing from Gambella.”
Lt. Col. Amati Ochan, the county police inspector, confirmed the incident but that no arrest was made.
“The deceased was shot twice by his assailants and died on spot and his belongings were looted. But when local youth heard gunshots they rushed to the scene, pursued the attackers, and intercepted them an hour later,” he said. “There, they clashed but there was no casualty from both sides, only some looted items were recovered.”
For his part, Ter Manyang, the executive director of the civil society group Center for Peace and Advocacy, condemned the killing and called for the empowerment of the security sector to deter recurring attacks on health workers in Greater Jonglei.
“It is very unfortunate that such citizens are occurring when citizens should be enjoying peace. Low capacity of our police and local leaders are reasons for these incidents,” he said.