Armed group abducted a South Sudanese rebel-appointed governor in Kenya on Friday evening, two rebel officials said on Sunday.
Rebel deputy spokesman Paul Lam Gabriel told Radio Tamazuj that the rebel-appointed governor of Kapoeta state Marko Lokidor Lochapio was abducted from Kakuma Refugee Camp, adding the group that took Marko from his home appeared to be from neighbouring Kenya.
Gabriel, who said the abducted rebel official was driven to Lokichogio the same night, said Governor Marko was taken to Nadapal where he was allegedly handed over to South Sudan National Security Service on Saturday.
Another South Sudanese rebel general in Kapoeta called Yussif Peter gave a similar account. “The opposition governor who was abducted in Kakuma is currently in Kapoeta town with his hands handcuffed,” he said.
Samuel Agath, leader of Equatoria community in Kakuma camp, said: “On Friday night, I received a call from people from Kakuma 4.They informed me that a man from the Toposa tribe called Marko Lokidor was abducted. On Saturday morning, I went to the police here in Kakuma, but we could not find him.”
Elia Lopinga, Marko’s younger brother, said: “Marko was abducted from home by people who came with two vehicles around 5pm. One of the abductors was having a gun and I witnessed the incident.”
He pointed out that they reported the incident to the UNHCR, but they could not find Marko.
For his part, the government-appointed governor of Kapoeta state Louis Lobong Lojore said he had no information on the alleged incident, but he pointed out that one of the rebels has reportedly been captured in the state.
“The rebels attacked passenger vehicles on the road between Nadapal and New Site yesterday. I heard that one of the rebels has been arrested by the army. I don’t know that person because that area is very far and the communication is poor,” he said.
Kenyan officials in Kakuma Refugee Camp could not immediately be reached for comment.
Rebel leader Riek Machar's official spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, was deported to Juba in November last year from Nairobi. Two other opposition officials, Dong Samuel Luak and Aggrey Idri, also disappeared in Kenya in January this year.