Armed men believed to be from an opposition group abducted one person, shot another in the leg and burned three houses during a nighttime attack in Aboroto Village, Lujulo Payam, Morobo County, on Monday, October 12, according to the county’s caretaker commissioner.
The commissioner said approximately ten armed men arrived in the village around midnight, accompanied by Wilson Bugi, who had reportedly been abducted two days earlier.
The attackers allegedly proceeded to the home of Emmanuel Awule, where they beat him and his wife, Mary Opani, before looting household property.
Awule managed to escape during the looting, after which the armed men allegedly set three houses within the same homestead on fire. Bugi was reportedly shot in the leg and taken to a hospital in Morobo the following morning.
“They started beating him, and upon coming out, they started looting things in the house. Mr. Emmanuel Awule managed to escape, and after his escape, they set the three houses in the same homestead ablaze,” the commissioner said.
The county administration visited the affected area on Tuesday morning to assess the incident and establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
According to information received from the victims, the suspected attackers were members of armed holdout groups who later fled towards the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the identities of those responsible have not been independently verified.
The commissioner said the county administration had begun mobilizing emergency assistance for the affected family and contacted state authorities to request additional support, including blankets, tents and food.
He maintained that security personnel had been deployed across Morobo County, adding that the nighttime attack did not necessarily mean security forces were absent from the area.
The commissioner urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and to report security incidents promptly to the relevant authorities.
He also condemned the alleged attack on civilians, calling on armed groups to abandon violence and pursue peaceful political participation.
“My message to them is, if they really want to fight, they should come and fight by voting. They should come and stand in elections and put their votes so that they elect somebody whom they can lead, other than going to attack innocent civilians at night,” he said.
The commissioner further urged members of armed holdout groups to return to their communities, citing an amnesty extended by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to encourage their return and participation in the political process.
Civil Society Calls for Stronger Civilian Protection
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Civil Society Network in Morobo County called for stronger measures to protect civilians, warning that limited security deployment in some areas left residents vulnerable to attacks.
The civil society leader confirmed that the network had received reports of the incident and said the caretaker commissioner had visited the affected area to assess what happened.
The chairperson expressed concern that recurring attacks were creating fear among residents and could disrupt community activities, civic education and humanitarian operations, particularly in remote areas that are difficult to access.
“It is just unfortunate that those vast locations are left without armed forces being deployed. It has really made those locations to be at risk, most especially on the side of civilians,” the chairperson said.
The civil society leader stressed that civilian protection must remain a priority, warning that attacks against residents could undermine their sense of security and ability to participate freely in community life.
“We, as Civil Society Network, we always advocate that protection of civilians has to be the priority. When civilians are targeted, it brings a lot of fear to the civilians,” the chairperson said.
On the causes of recurring insecurity in Morobo County, the chairperson said political factors and limited dialogue between conflicting parties could be contributing to the situation, although the motive behind the latest attack remained unclear.
The civil society leader emphasized that civilians should not bear the consequences of conflicts in which they are not involved.
Both the county administration and civil society representatives said efforts were underway to support the affected family and restore normalcy. However, access challenges in some locations remained a concern for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The attack has renewed concerns about civilian safety in Morobo County, with local authorities and civil society representatives calling for improved protection, dialogue among conflicting parties and coordinated efforts to prevent further violence.
The post One abducted, another shot as armed men burn three houses in Morobo County first appeared on Eye Radio.