The newly appointed minister of agriculture in Western Bahr el Ghazal State last week survived an attempt on his life.
According to Minister Valentino Akech Akuar, who belongs to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), four armed men attacked his house last Tuesday evening but he managed to run away and was rescued by the emergency police.
He told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that he believes the attempt on his life is linked to the issue of representation in the state government.
“Since I was appointed on 29 January, I have been staying in my house in the New Site suburb of Wau Town. Last week on Tuesday at 2 p.m., four people came on two motorbikes, corked their guns, and ordered us to come out of the house,” he narrated. “When I saw that there was a security threat, I ran towards the police station and they started shouting that I should be caught but I ran to the house of one my relatives and before I entered they shot at me. When I entered the house, they left.”
Minister Akech added: “I heard that the problem is the issue of representation and some people said that positions have all gone to Wau North but the position of the ministry went to Wau North and the commission to Wau South and the representation is okay.”
When contacted, the police officer handling the investigation into the matter, Brig. Kon Mel Ayok said the minister is safe and he urged citizens to remain calm as the investigations continue. He said two suspects, senior SPLA-IO officers, have already been identified and they will soon be arrested to help with investigations.
“On Tuesday afternoon at around 2 p.m., we got a report from the New Site area that the house of the newly appointed minister of agriculture was attacked,” he explained. “According to the information, two people, Brig. Gen. James Agany Malim and Col. David Dak Madiet who belong to the SPLA-IO were involved in the attack. The police have not got them but the investigations are ongoing.”
Gen. Mel said the situation is now calm and the police and other forces are on standby.