Calm has returned to Wau town of Western Bahr el Ghazal State after sporadic shooting on Sunday evening following a motor accident involving national security operatives.
On Sunday evening, activity at Wau’s Suk Hajer market ground to a halt when an accident occurred involving a motorcycle and a truck. Two National Security officers who were pillion riding on the motorcycle died on the spot.
The boda-boda rider also died hours later after being taken to Wau Teaching Hospital.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday morning, the state police commissioner, Major General Ajuong Chwar, said the situation had returned to normal after what he described as a misunderstanding between the police and elements of the National Security Service.
“The accident that occurred was reported to me at 5:40 pm at the bridge. It was a traffic accident which killed two people from the national security and the boda-boda rider,” Gen. Chwar said. “When the mobile police operation rushed to the scene to identify the type of accident, they found the national security personnel who were worked up and clashes occurred. Good enough there were no casualties.”
He added, “What happened was a misunderstanding between the police and the security because the national security was not happy. People panicked because for quite some time there was no sound of a bullet and we were enjoying the situation. The civilians were in panic and it has created fear in the hearts of our people. But I would like to tell you that this was just a result of anger but there was no casualty.”
He reassured that the situation was contained and that normalcy had returned.
For his part, a Wau-based civil society activist, Orasio Opiyo Buola, who is the Executive Director of Community Aid Relief and Development Organization (CARDO), condemned the sporadic shooting in the town saying it is indicative of a lack of ethics by the armed forces.
“As civil society, I would like to send our condolences to the brothers who died in the accident and also to their families so that they can remain calm. Accidents can occur at any time. I would like to call upon the relevant authorities to take necessary measures to ensure that laws that are governing traffic are adhered to,” Buola said.
He appealed to security forces to desist from sporadic shootings that scare the population.