Bor County Commissioner Samuel Ateny Pech poses with security personnel in Bor town. – Courtesy photo

The Commissioner of Bor County in Jonglei State has denied reports that he issued a shoot-to-kill order against youth gangs, saying security forces are only enforcing law and order to protect civilians.

His remarks come after reports claimed that the county administration had authorized security personnel to shoot suspected members of teenage gangs locally known as “niggas.”

Speaking to Eye Radio on Saturday, Commissioner Samuel Ateny Pech said there was no directive authorizing security personnel to kill suspected gang members.

“We are just maintaining law and order. There are no orders of shoot-to-kill. I am not a judge. Nor am I a supreme power that can order the lives of the human beings. I am enforcing a law and order in Bor County so that people are safe from the criminals. So, we are just protecting civilians,” he said.

The defence of the forces can be applied. And that is the resolution not by me. So, there is no one that has been killed so far since the starting of the operation last week.”

Ateny said the ongoing security operation follows resolutions passed by local chiefs aimed at addressing rising criminal activities allegedly carried out by youth gangs.

According to the commissioner, the groups have been linked to a series of violent incidents in Bor town.

“Yes, there was a chiefs’ conference of Bor chiefs all over that can resolve that there will be no crew, which are the gangsters, to disturb the people of Bor. There is a law that they are going to be arrested. And in case if they are… Because some of them have guns. If they are in to fight, there is no problem,” he added.

He said some gang members are armed with pistols and machine guns and have been responsible for the deaths of 37 people over the past two months.

Ateny added that security forces have arrested several suspected gang members since the operation began last week.

Ateny also called on residents to cooperate with security personnel by providing information about suspected criminals and avoiding harbouring gang members.