A top police officer on Sunday urged travelers to use caution in some areas in the state of Western Equatoria, citing a surge in armed robberies and targeted shootings largely attributed to unknown gunmen in certain areas.

“This is not a declaration of the breakdown of law and order. It is a precautionary measure so that people move consciously because there has been a surge in robbery and targeted shootings and killings of prominent personalities by unknown armed groups, especially in areas of Maridi and Mundri West counties," said the deputy inspector general of police, Lieutenant General Andrew Kuol Nyuon.

General Kuol told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday that it is important for people to move in these areas with extra care.

“We are asking people to be vigilant and move cautiously. If you are alone and think you would walk a distance between two locations, between villages or wherever you are going and think it would not be safe, inform authorities so that they give escort or wait until you are in a group of more than two people," he advised.

"This notice is for precautionary purpose while the government is working to put some measures in place,” he said. The caution comes four days after an area politician was stopped and shot by unknown gunmen in Mundri West County, Western Equatoria.

Joseph Ngere, formerly deputy governor in the state government and a member of the national parliament in Juba, was stopped and shot while returning to his home in Mundri West from a funeral on Thursday night. He was asked his name before being shot.

Nobody has come forward to claim responsibility for the attack and local authorities have not accused any group of being involved.

That attack followed another incident in which the director of security services in Mundri West County was shot dead while in Mundri town in early January. No arrest was made as no suspects were identified, although an investigation committee was formed.