Three local traders were killed and another one injured in a road ambush in Jonglei State’s Akobo County on Saturday, authorities said.
Benso Gatwec Kuany, the county executive secretary, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the victims were delivering goods from Akobo Town when they were waylaid at the outskirts of Walgak Town.
“On Saturday afternoon, four of our traders were attacked between Akobo East and Akobo West’s Walgak area. Three traders were shot and killed on the spot, while the other one sustained serious gunshot wounds,” he said. “The assailants then took their valuables, including guns.”
The local official accused armed assailants from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of involvement in the attack.
“The wounded man was brought to Akobo Town on Monday morning and is now being treated at Akobo Hospital,” he said. “When we got to know about the incident and the rescued victim, one of the relatives tried to check on one of the traders on the phone, only to be told by the bandits that they had killed him and that his brother’s phone was in their possession.”
However, Jacob Werchum Jouk, the GPAA Information Minister, said they have yet to be informed about the incident by Akobo authorities, but pledged to investigate.
“Our counterparts in Akobo County did not inform us about the incident. If the narrative given by authorities is true, then we will direct our commissioners at the border to monitor the situation and apprehend the criminals,” he stated. “We also want the Akobo authorities to patrol their areas because sometimes attacks on traders in Jonglei State are carried out by their own criminals.”