Armed bandits suspected to have crossed from Unity State’s Panyijiar County attacked the Pakhou fishing site in Lakes State’s Yirol East County and killed 7 people and wounded 5 others on Wednesday at 9 p.m., an official said.
Lakes State Acting Information Minister William Koji Kerjok told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the commissioner of Yirol East County and the organized forces are pursuing the attackers.
“These are criminals from Panyijiar County of Unity State. They normally attack and kill people in Yirol East County and run back to Panyijiar,” he said. “The Government of Lakes State will continue to track them down, and we will continue asking the Government of Unity State to stop their youth from carrying out criminal activities in neighboring states.”
“Our people have lost a lot of lives and property, and this has created fear, which has led to a decline in farming activities,” Koji added.
For his part, Daniel Laat Kon, a civil society activist in Lakes State, condemned the killings.
“This is a very unfortunate situation, and we condemn it in the strongest terms. We are calling on the state government to be vigilant because Yirol East County has been attacked by suspected armed criminals from Panyijiar County because of a lack of protection,” he stated. “We are also calling the Government of Unity State to hold these criminals accountable for there to be relative calm at the border.”
Laat warned that if the attacks are not checked and perpetrators not arrested and brought to book, it will lead to revenge attacks and more anarchy.
Attempts to reach Panyijiar County authorities for comment on the matter were unsuccessful.