Authorities in Kapoeta East County of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State have reunited two abducted children, identified as Lojore Lokanyim, three years old, and Natede Lokanyim, eight years old, with their parents in Wokobu Payam of Kapoeta North County.
The abduction incident occurred on the fateful day of August 18, 2022, when three siblings from the same family were forcibly taken from Wokobu Payam of Kapoeta North County.
This unsettling incident prompted collaborative efforts between the governments of Eastern Equatoria State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area to trace and reunite the abducted children with their family. Thankfully, this joint effort bore fruit, as two abducted children have now been safely returned to their loving family.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Kapoeta North County Commissioner Emmanuel Ephone Lolimo expressed his gratitude for the successful reunion.
“Last year in August, three children of the same father were abducted from Lomogu Payam in a place called Korkomuge. There was communication between the government of Eastern Equatoria State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, and the people of Pibor managed to recover two children. The first child to be recovered was a boy who was brought and handed to the family. This girl was also brought, and from here we are handing her to her family,” he explained.
The commissioner identified the recovered child as Natede Lokanyim, who is eight years old, and provided information on her recovery location, saying, “The child was brought from Greater Pibor Administrative Area from Gumuruk County.”
Commissioner Lolimo commended the leadership of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area for their dedication and urged them to continue their efforts in identifying and tracing abducted children.
He emphasized the emotional impact of the reunions on the local community, stating, “After this news, people will be jubilating because when these children were abducted, people were mourning and they lost hope.”
Maj. Pio Obol Marino, the Police Inspector, confirmed the reunions and mentioned that the two abducted children had been recovered the previous week before being handed over to the Eastern Equatoria State government.
He also indicated that efforts were ongoing to locate the remaining abducted children, stating, “The girl remained behind but was brought yesterday, and she has now been handed over to her parents. The girl was abducted from Wahobu village in a place called Korkomuke.”
Flora Sebit Jada, an Eastern Equatoria State civil society activist, welcomed the initiative and highlighted its potential to foster better relations and reconciliation between the two states. She also appealed to the Greater Pibor Administrative Area government to educate its populace about the severe consequences of child abduction, stating, “We don’t want to hear such information again.”