Seven men arrested in Mangalla Payam. (-)

Juba County Police have arrested seven men found in possession of one gun and suspected to be involved in deadly road attacks and forceful eviction of villagers in Mangalla Payam on Wednesday.

In a statement, the local government said the arrests followed reports of violent incidents in Bilinyang Boma, Juba where residents, including the local sub-chief, were allegedly forced to leave their homes in Garbur Village.

The suspects were armed with guns and hoes and have been linked to a series of crimes, including killings and looting.

Juba Acting Police Commissioner Brig. Gen. Zakayo Ladu said the suspects are believed to be of a criminal network engaged in road banditry and illegal land dealings in Garbu Village.

Gen. Zakayo said an investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be produced in court next week to face charges.

“This is not completely good. When we received this news from the chief, we went there. We arrested those criminals, now we are doing our investigations and will present them to court in very urgent time on 13th December,” he said.

He called for a thorough investigation into the suspects, urging the Criminal Investigation Department to track their communications and identify the source of their weapons.

The arrest was made after a series of insecurity incidents reported along the Juba-Bor highway, which resulted in loss of lives, injuries and loss of properties.

In September 2024, Jonglei Minister of Parliamentary Affairs was attacked and robbed by “armed criminals” who laid ambush to her vehicle along the Juba-Bor Highway, the state government said.

Nyalele John Chuol was returning from Juba where she had gone for a government mission when armed assailants opened fire on her vehicle – riddling it with bullets and forcing her to a halt. The robbers looted Minister Nyalele’s entire luggage.

A month later, traders from Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) lost 50 herds of cattle to armed assailants along the highway as the livestock were being driven to Juba City for sale.

And in November, 22 people were killed and a significant number of cattle were raided in an attack along the Juba-Bor road at the Mogiri area of Juba County, according to government officials.

On his part, the Sub-chief of Garbu village, Andrea Gore Benjamin, described the security situation as a challenge to the local community.

“I am happy because I have this information and government help me, and I am sure if this is the way we are working together with the responsible institution, I don’t it will be a problem there in the future.”

Juba Commissioner Emmanuel Teti Ezbon said the area has recently witnessed insecurity the latest of which is the killing of three people including a national security officer by the land grabbers.

“The first thing, this area has witnessed robbery for the motorcycles, and killing and in this short period we have registered the killing of three people and three people are injured,” he said.

“Even a soldier of national security, we lost him there with civilians, and also state minister of Jonglei was an attacked in that place and all these are the incidents that happened there.”

“Those who killed the soldier were using motorcycles and gun, we have all this in our report here, we will go back to the security to investigate this. Where those who are killing are coming from?”

“Were they the same people who are carrying guns as you can see them? So those are the criminals, who are always killing people along Juba–Mangalla Road, especially in Bilinyang.”