The corpse of the slain Jebel Boma County Commissioner, Jeremiah Lothiboi, and of his accompanying delegation, including the area’s Deputy SSPDF Commander, Kaka Thombrum, were on Wednesday transported to the county headquarters, Jebel Boma town, for burials.
The commissioner, the area’s deputy army commander, and 13 other individuals, including local government officials and security officers, were killed when their convoy was waylaid on the outskirts of Raat on Tuesday morning.
Four other people were also injured in the attack when the team was returning from Nyat Payam.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Abraham Kelang, the GPAA Information Minister, said the bodies of the fallen officials now lay in Jebel Boma town.
“On Wednesday, security forces were dispatched to the area and they collected the bodies. These bodies are now in the county headquarters pending burial,” he said.
Minister Kelang clarified that the chief administrator was not with them during the reception of the bodies but passed his condolences to the people of Jebel Boma on the heinous massacre.
He said calm had returned to the area, adding that GPAA had dispatched forces, and now the security situation is calm.
Zuagin Rasho, the area’s lawmaker in the national legislative assembly, condemned the incident and demanded justice for the slain officials.
“The delegation was comprised of 17 officials. They were waylaid and killed gruesomely, but two survived the attack. This massacre was inhuman and it should be condemned,” he said.
“Attacks have been reoccurring in Jebel Boma County since 2022. We are urging the government of South Sudan to intervene and take charge of the security,” he added.