At least 35 head of cattle belonging to livestock traders were raided in Torit Town’s Ibalany residential area, in Eastern Equatoria State on Thursday.
Torit Municipal Council Mayor Mustafa Albino Zachariah told Radio Tamazuj that there were no clashes during the incident but that it created panic in the town. He said that security forces are still tracing the tracks of the raiders who moved towards Bur Payam in Torit County.
“This incident happened yesterday (Thursday) at around 3 p.m. I received a call that the people of Iluhum were running, and I went there. An unknown group raided 35 head of cattle and went through Bule, and we followed them up to Elumi along the Loudo road,” he narrated. “These raiders hid and appeared this (Friday) morning and went through the bush. The cattle were raided from traders. I am sure that there is no meat in the market today.”
For his part, John Mayen, an eyewitness who resides in the Hai Islak area, said the raiders entered the area quietly while he was watching and took the cattle away but that he could not intervene.
“There is fear among the people currently. At around 4 p.m. this (Thursday) evening, cattle belonging to Toposa livestock traders were raided from just near us here,” he recounted. “They had just brought and offloaded four truckloads of cattle.”
Meanwhile, Christine Peter Salvatore, the owner of Mama Hiba Restaurant in Torit Town, said the cattle theft resulted in the scarcity of beef in eateries, leading to losses.
“What happened will impact us, the restaurant owners, because when we lack meat, the sales are low. We have been cooking greens and fish for our customers,” she said. “When the cattle are brought for slaughter, there is a need to ensure their protection because you do not know what will happen next.”
Governor Louis Lobong Lojore, appearing on a live radio talk show on the state-owned Voice of Eastern Equatoria State FM after the raid, tasked the local youth to trace and return the stolen cattle.
“We will be following the footmarks of these raided cattle because it is the government being attacked. These cattle were brought by traders, and they are slaughtered here daily,” he said. “The government must follow these raided cattle, and I have informed the youth of Torit to follow and return these cattle.”