The commissioner of Pochalla North County in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) on Thursday said armed men ambushed and abducted four schoolgirls who were on their way to Ethiopia on Wednesday morning to write examinations.
The incident occurred at the outskirts of the border village of Burator.
Gilo Ochan Gilo told Radio Tamazuj that the girls had enrolled in an Ethiopian secondary school, and they were going to write their exams when they were waylaid and abducted.
He pointed out that the abductees were in the company of several male colleagues who escaped the scene unhurt.
“The incident occurred on Wednesday at 11 a.m. These girls, accompanied by male colleagues, were going to Ethiopia to sit for a secondary school exam after enrolling there earlier,” Commissioner Ochan explained. “The abductees are Ariet Odwong, 20, Nyomoli Atii Opuri, 16, Othai Omot Aballa, 18, and Nuta Omot, 16.”
He condemned the attack and said armed youth from neighboring Likuangole County orchestrated it.
“These abductors took the girls and fled into the bushes. We condemned this attack and urged Likuangole authorities to recover them,” he said.
On his part, GPAA Information Minister Nyinginga Okanho Kiro also confirmed the incident and pledged to investigate it.
“On Wednesday evening, we were informed by local authorities in Pochalla North that some travellers were attacked by suspected Murle criminals and four girls were abducted,” he said. “As a government, we condemn the abduction and we will investigate it because our chief administrator is committed to fostering peaceful coexistence.”