A 22-year-old man was killed in a road ambush by armed assailants in Pochalla County, Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) on Monday, authorities said.
Pochalla South County Commissioner Otho Okoti told Radio Tamazuj Monday evening that Ojulu Oju was shot dead while riding a bicycle to neighboring Ethiopia to buy food items.
According to the commissioner, the 22-year-old student was in the company of three other relatives who he said escaped unhurt.
“Four members of the same family left Pochalla for Gambella in Ethiopia to buy food on Monday morning,” he explained. “However, on the road near Ethiopia, they were waylaid, resulting in the death of Ojulu Oju, 22, whose intention was to buy food for the family. The other 3 people who were with him escaped unhurt.”
Commissioner Otho condemned the attack as barbaric and called on the GPAA authorities to address the rampant insecurity, saying those involved in the attack were alleged to be of Murle descent.
“According to the eyewitness, the attackers are from Murle,” he stated. “Since my appointment, such attacks have been commonplace so we are calling for intervention from GPAA to address this insecurity.”
On his part, Oleyo Akwer Nyalus, the GPAA information minister, said they have yet to receive the report on the attack from the Pochalla South County commissioner. He admitted that insecurity incidents have been rampant in the border area due to the presence of armed bandits.