A group of armed raiders suspected to be from the Murle Community reportedly stole 43 goats from Kolnyang Payam in Jonglei State’s Bor County.
The theft on Sunday Night sparked outrage and prompted a swift response from local youths who decided to pursue the raiders believed to be heading east toward the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
Achuil Buol, an eyewitness to the event, said that the theft has not only inflicted a significant economic blow to the goat owners but has also heightened security concerns among residents.
“Once the goats were taken, the raiders were discovered,” Buol stated. “The youth are following and tracking their footmarks, along with forty-three goats.”
Ngong Bheer, the youth leader of Bor County, vehemently condemned the raid. In a statement, Bheer expressed deep frustration over the recurring incidents and called upon the GPAA authorities to ensure the return of the stolen livestock.
“As a leader, you should advocate for peaceful coexistence, but if bad deeds persist, they frustrate peace efforts,” Bheer stated. “For instance, a man from Baidit Payam was killed in Chuei-Nyok, and a car was previously ambushed between Charakau and Mach-Deng.”
“I urge the Pibor authorities to locate those goats, otherwise there will be no reason for us to support peace,” he added.
The youth leader warned that failure to recover the goats could lead to retaliatory actions from the Bor County youth.
Amidst the rising tensions, GPAA Information Minister Abraham Keleng said he was unaware of the incident but assured the authorities would initiate efforts to trace the raiders.
“The current information reported about the issues of goats by our counterparts in Bor County is funny because we did not expect it,” he stated. “Let our colleagues look for those goats in their area first. They may have gotten lost inside Bor. Do not rush into making assumptions about other tribes.”
Newly appointed GPAA Chief Administrator Gola Boyoi recently committed to fostering peace with neighboring communities, a promise now under test following the latest raid.