Major General Elia Costa, Police Commissioner in Jonglei State - (Photo: Courtesy).

Police in Jonglei State have arrested seven youth for allegedly causing panic by shooting in the air and abducting a civilian in the capital Bor last month.

The state police commissioner Major General Elia Costa said the young men interrupted election of the state wrestling leadership scheduled for September 18 and abducted the election official.

Lual Kuol Alang, the chairperson of electoral committee was going to oversee election of the new leaders of Jonglei Wrestling Association when the armed youth intercepted his car and took him to unknown location.

“A certain group refused the election and they came out during the night and shoot their guns in the air, also in the morning, they shoot the guns in the election venue and kidnapped one person,” he said.

Kuol, who was tasked by the state minister of Youth and Sports to oversee the election, was detained throughout the supposed election period.

But he was released on the same day and handed over to the commissioner of Bor County.

“We ordered for the election to be postponed for 21 days. Then we opened a case against those people who shoot in the air, and we started arresting them,” General Costa said.

The police official said the armed elements caused panic in the town after shooting several guns in the air, before charging towards the market to loot shops.

But Costa said police frustrated their attempt.

He added that the unnamed suspects have been bailed out and the police is hunting for 11 others who allegedly took part in the mayhem.