South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) arrested the deputy governor of Lakes State, Isaiah Akol Mathiang, and several other officials on Monday in a move targeting allies of First Vice President Riek Machar, sources said.
Dr. Akol, who chairs Machar’s opposition party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), in Lakes State, was detained a day after condemning airstrikes by South Sudanese and Ugandan troops in Upper Nile State.
Those arrested included state lawmaker Ater Akolde, state Minister of Animal Resources Gai Magok, and the SPLM-IO youth league chairperson in Lakes State, Mandela Machiek, according to multiple sources who spoke anonymously for security reasons.
“Those officials who are allied to Machar were arrested in Rumbek by the National Security Service and are being held in detention,” one source told Radio Tamazuj.
An SPLM-IO official linked the arrests to a statement Akol issued on Sunday, in which he accused the government of violating the 2018 peace deal and denounced Ugandan military involvement.
“We condemn the continued unilateral removal of SPLM-IO officials by the SPLM-IG [government faction]. Furthermore, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the aerial bombardment of civilians in Nasir, Ulang, and Longechuk counties of Upper Nile State and Akobo County of Jonglei State by the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), employing chemical weapons. These attacks constitute a grave violation of international law and a blatant disregard for human life,” the statement said.
Daniel Juol Nhomngek, a national lawmaker representing Cueibet and a member of the SPLM-IO, confirmed the arrests, including that of Lakes State’s deputy governor.
“They were collected and taken to the governor and were told the statement was too heavy for them. Then this morning, they were taken away, and up to now, it is not clear where they are detained,” he said.
Nhomngek added: “I heard some of the detainees are at the National Security Services (NSS) headquarters in Rumbek. It seems the issue is linked to that press statement. I also heard they are still looking for more SPLM-IO members to arrest in Rumbek.”
Government officials in Lakes State were not immediately available for comment.
The arrests come amid escalating tensions between President Salva Kiir’s government and Machar’s SPLM-IO. Recent clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and armed youth—known as the White Army—in Nasir County have heightened instability.
Political and security disputes intensified after Kiir dismissed several SPLM-IO officials in February. Violence erupted in mid-February when SSPDF forces clashed with SPLM-IO troops in Nasir, prompting further troop deployments.
On March 4, the White Army—believed to have ties to Machar—captured a military base in the area of Nasir. Tensions worsened on March 7 when a United Nations helicopter evacuating SSPDF soldiers from Nasir was fired upon, killing army commander Major General Majur Dak, a UN crew member, and others.
The incident led to a heavy SSPDF deployment near Machar’s residence in Juba and the detention of several SPLM-IO figures, including deputy army chief and Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol.