Two students who were returning home from Uganda fell in an ambush and killed along the Ikotos-Budi road in Eastern Equatoria State on Wednesday, local officials said.
The two boys were identified as Paul Uche and Mandela.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Mr Benedict Lokoro Nyemuge, a youth leader in Budi County: “The incident happened on Wednesday, and the burial was on Thursday. We are actually investigating the incident; we are still following up because it happened between our side and the Logir area, just that road coming to Bira, so we are suspecting our neighbours.”
The youth leader expressed concern that such insecurity accidents threaten community peace and humanitarian organizations operating in the area.
Meanwhile, Ikotos County Commissioner Joseph Loholong Jennisio confirmed the incident but said the attackers are yet to be identified.
“I have just got this information. My counterpart, the Commissioner of Budi, called me on Friday. They have taken the motorbike left after the attack in Lobelbel. The chief is on the ground in Losite Payam. The network is not good on that side because I want to follow up,” he said.
Orenste Lopara, a national MP representing Budi County, described the incident as terrible, saying the stakeholders should sit down to find lasting peace in the area.
“Organizing these youths from different places like the Logir, Ketebo, Buya, Didinga, and Lobiraso is important. We build a peace centre, empower them with communication gadgets, open schools and hospitals for them, and give them responsibility for the affairs of the area because we found out that there are few members from every tribe committing crimes. But if they are brought in one centre, and we empower them, I am sure this problem will come to an end,” he said.
For his part, Augustine Okuma, the Chairperson of the State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), expressed sadness over the killing of returnees and urged the government to provide a conducive environment that enables the safe return of South Sudanese.
“I am really saddened, and it is very unfortunate to hear that such an incident has happened. I am going to engage the state government on how we can make a safe and secure environment for returnees. At least the government should provide a safe and secure environment to make people come back because it is very unfortunate that it endangers the lives of people coming back home,” he said.
Road ambushes by armed assailants are common in parts of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.