The police in the Western Equatoria State capital, Yambio, on Thursday, confirmed the arrest of an SSPDF soldier who irresponsibly discharged his firearm and caused panic in the town.
Acting Police Commissioner General Samuel Tet told Radio Tamazuj that the soldier fired several bullets in the air on Wednesday night.
“In response to such incidents, we have deployed forces at night to protect civilians and maintain peace in the state,” Tet said. “There is no major security threat in Yambio, but criminal activities like this [shooting] cause unnecessary fear.”
For his part, Yambio Town Municipality John Singira also confirmed the incident, stating that the gunfire occurred between 8 and 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
“One person has been arrested for randomly shooting in the air,” he said.
According to Edward Aliminio Mombasa, the Executive Chief of Yambio Town Municipality, the soldier who discharged his gun was intoxicated and began shooting in the air in Hai Kuba before security forces swiftly intervened and took him into custody.
“The community was terrified last (Wednesday) night, but after hearing the news of his (soldier’s) arrest, people are now feeling reassured,” he said. “The forces and the government are working tirelessly to maintain peace.”
Meanwhile, reports indicate that some houses were burned in Napere and Gangara residential areas. A resident, Emilian John, however, said calm has returned to the affected areas.
“The situation has now calmed and my message to the people is to maintain peace because violence will not solve anything and we want to focus on farming this year,” he said.
State authorities and security officials have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to security forces to ensure the safety of all residents.