NORTHERN UGANDA: Fresh violence has escalated in Ngoro area, Aliawara village, Mungula parish in Itirikwa Sub County after a group suspected to be members of the Acholi community yesterday, September 19, waylaid youths from the Madi community who were going to the garden leaving them injured, with one person feared dead.
In the ensuing fight, the attackers who were armed with pangas, machetes, and clubs outnumbered their victims sending them in disarray, two of them managed to find their ways back home in the wee hours of the morning but the remainder Idro Edward aged 34, could not be traced according to Buni Justine who survived the onslaught.
Apiku Geoffrey, 44, who narrowly survived death in the fight escaped with deep panga wounds on the head, back and his ankles were disabled with clubs.
“I was rescued by one of the attackers who pleaded with his ruthless colleague to spare my life since I did not resist them,” a traumatized Apiku recounts.
Chief Chandiga Ben of Ali clan who controls the area, told journalists that this morning the police in Zoka were informed of the unfortunate attack, and a request to lead a search team was rejected and the police went ahead blocking the search mission on grounds that the number was big.
The irate community members then defied the police and attempted to carry on with the search operation prompting the police to fire live bullets and a bullet hit 40 years old Akeri Luke shattering his arm, he was rushed to Adjumani general referral hospital where he still groans in agony.
The acting Adjumani RDC Mugweri Moses said he was not aware of the incident and promised to get to the bottom of the facts on the ground before issuing a full statement and the RPC northwest Nile Denis Okuja could not answer or return repeated telephone calls seeking comment.
On September 16, 2021, a joint security force comprising of the Uganda Police Force, UPDF, UWA rangers, and ISO operatives stormed Oyango area which is located about 20 kilometers South West of Apaa trading center and were shocked to find out that members of the Acholi community have set two illegal Internally displaced Peoples [IDP] camps.
In camp A there were 132 purported IDPs who have already erected 119 makeshift shelters, while in camp B there were 68 self-proclaimed IDPs who have put up 73 temporary structures.
The security then took the illegal settlers through a rigorous verification exercise to ascertain their true origin, but by the proof of their national identification cards that were issued by NIRA, most of them were ferried from the Acholi districts of; Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum, and Noya while others came from Alebtong district in Lango sub-region.
The group claimed they were part of the settlers in Apaa and Zoka areas and decided to go in IDP camps because they have obtained intelligence information that the spears shooting Madi community was planning a major attack.
The security issued an ultimatum of two days for them to vacate the camps since they were illegally established; besides the area is deep inside East Madi Wild Life Reserve.
By press time, the search team had reported back home and Idro Edward is nowhere to be seen, the exhausted search team has vowed to continue with the mission until they get Idro Edward dead or alive.
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