At least five SPLM-IO members who support Gabriel Magok Bol, the former SPLM/A-IO appointed military commissioner of Unity State’s Panyinjar County, were reportedly arrested last week by the newly appointed commissioner, Stephen Gai.
Gai was appointed by acting SPLM/A-IO chairperson Oyet Nathaniel last month. However, the changes led to tensions with Magok rejecting his removal. The standoff led to violent clashes between supporters of the two officials.
Former commissioner Magok told Radio Tamzaju on Monay that five of his supporters were arrested by the new SPLM/A-IO commissioner, Gai.
“Five people, including the county police director, SPLM-IO county secretary, and three other SPLM-IO members, were arrested and beaten in detention,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Stephen Gai, the new SPLM/A-IO commissioner, denied that he ordered the arrests.
“What happened here in Panyijiar County is that we saved their lives from armed youth who were fighting alongside the former commissioner, Gabriel Magok Bol,” he said. “They are here in my compound if someone wants to see them.”
He said those captured alive by armed youth include the county’s police director, the director for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the SPLM-IO county secretary, and a payam administrator.
Relatedly, former commissioner, Gabriel Magok Bol, told this publication on Monay that he is not under arrest and is still the substantive commissioner because he did not get any official communication about his being removed from office.
“What happened is that my three bodyguards were killed when I was attacked by Stephen Gai, the new commissioner of Panyjinar County, who was appointed by Oyet Nathaniel,” he explained. “The new commissioner forced me to hand over the stamp to him, although it was not communicated to me by my line manager, Unity State Deputy Governor Tor Tunguar. What my line manager told me and directed me was not to hand over the stamp or anything to him [Gai]. This is what was communicated to me by the leadership of SPLM-IO in Unity State.”
“So, I am still operating as the commissioner of Panyjinar County because I was not removed, and the alleged removal by Oyet was rejected by my line manager, who is the deputy governor,” Magok added.
He said the security situation in the county has deteriorated since clashes erupted last week, and there is raping and killing of civilians by unknown armed people.
“I did not flee to Lakes State as alleged, and I am still in Panyjinar County because I am still the sitting commissioner after being appointed by the 2018 peace agreement,” he stated. “The peace agreement is still alive, and we are waiting for the court hearing if First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny to conclude.”