A South Sudan National Security Service (NSS) officer identified as Oleyo Sebit Piyo was killed along the Juba – Torit road on Saturday evening by unknown gunmen while traveling in a vehicle belonging to a road construction company.
The late Oleyo was working as part of a security escort team providing security for the Anissa Construction Company and its staff along the Juba-Torit road.
Oleyo’s family said the vehicle left Juba on Saturday evening heading to their camp along the Torit–Juba road when the assailants stopped it between Kurangeref and Jebel Molok, 14 kilometers from the Nesitu junction. The attackers then ordered the soldier to surrender his gun and immediately shot him.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, Henry Janero Amok, the elder brother of the deceased officer said, "I am the elder brother of the late Oleyo Sebit Piyo who was killed yesterday (Saturday) along the Torit Highway by unknown gunmen. According to the information we got, the incident happened at 7 pm and I received a call that my brother died at 9 pm."
The police deputy spokesman, James Daak, confirmed the incident but said they received the information late.
“Our information usually comes from Central Equatoria from someone called Ramadan. Now they say that the area where the incident took place is in the jurisdiction of Eastern Equatoria. Then they delayed bringing information to us. This is the problem.” Daak said.
An official at the Torit taxi park in Juba who identified himself only as Alex called on the government to provide safety for travelers along the Juba-Torit road.
“Yesterday but one a vehicle belonging to a road construction company was ambushed along the Juba-Torit road and a soldier was killed,” Alex said. “So, we are urging the government to look into the matter and if possible let them deploy soldiers at those points where people are always killed or robbed while traveling between Juba and Torit.”
The Annisa constructing company is working on the Juba-Torit-Nadapal highway and is provided security by the National Security Service.