Security forces assigned to South Sudan’s Vice President, Dr Benjamin Bol Mel, were withdrawn from his residence and office in Juba on Wednesday morning, several of his close associates have told Radio Tamazuj.
The reason for the withdrawal has not been officially communicated, and it remains unclear whether the vice president is under any form of restriction.
One of his aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the move had left the vice president “vulnerable and exposed”.
“This is a vice president — you cannot leave him without protection and security,” the associate said.
According to the sources, the withdrawal affected all guards at both his official office and residence. “The entire security detail was pulled out this morning and by evening none of the guards remained,” another associate said.
The aides believe the directive came from senior levels of government.
“We think the orders came from the top — from the president himself,” one associate alleged. “The vice president went to the office around 9am and returned home later in the day. He cannot leave now because he has no protection.”
The government has not commented publicly on the matter, and no explanation has been given for the sudden withdrawal.
The associates said relations between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Bol Mel had appeared normal until recently. “They have been meeting regularly, including during the president’s recent trips abroad,” one said.
However, other sources hinted at growing political tension within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), including alleged power struggles and questions over succession.
Dr Bol Mel, 52, was appointed vice president and head of the government’s economic cluster in February, replacing veteran politician Dr James Wani Igga.
In May, he was also named First Deputy Chairman of the SPLM, further consolidating his position in the country’s leadership.
In September, President Kiir promoted him to the rank of full general within the National Security Service — his third major elevation in less than a year. The move sparked speculation that he was being positioned as Kiir’s potential successor, particularly after First Vice President Riek Machar was charged with treason.