A village in Jebel Boma, Pibor. (Photo: Redman pics)

The government of Greater Pibor Administrative Area attributed the severe hunger in the region to the closure of road to Eastern Equatoria State due to unresolved conflict triggered a deadly attack in Kapoeta East by its youth.

The hunger situation in Likwangole, Boma, and Pochalla counties among other places – has claimed dozens of lives with 12 deaths reported only in Likwangole in two weeks.

Pibor Information Minister Oleyo Akuer highlighted that Murle youth attacked Toposa cattle camps in April 2024 raiding herds and abducting a number of women and children.

According to Akuer, since then, the vital trade route between the two areas has been blocked leaving Pibor without access to commercial supplies.

He said this has otherwise caused the outbreak of hunger in the areas coupled with the existing drought in the area.

“We were having some relationship issues between Kapoeta and Greater Pibor,” Akuer said in an interview with Eye Radio on Friday.

“There was an attack from Murle youth last April, they went to the cattle camp that belong to the Toposa and attacked them, took some cattle and abducted children.”

“They have said let’s lockdown the road which is connecting Jebel Boma and Greater Pibor. This lockdown of the road is creating problem. There is no any access to Kapoeta in order to bring some food items. Otherwise, this has caused the outbreak of the hunger.”

Mr. Akuer assured the two communities of his government’s commitment in resolving the matter to enable peaceful coexistence. 

Meanwhile, the governor of Eastern Equatoria State Louis Lobong Lojore has expressed concerns over rampant child abduction which he said poses a serious threat to communal peace and wellbeing.

In an interview with Eye Radio on Friday, Lobong said in the past two weeks, nearly eight children have been abducted in two consecutive raids in Eastern Equatoria State.

He revealed that five of the eight missing children belonged to one family, and have not been recovered while the other three were recovered by the youth who intervened.

Lobong said the attacks have instilled fear among local communities and prompted the youth to guard women and children instead of embarking on agriculture.

“There is so much movement of these people in the bushes and their footmarks have been seen by the people and it is scaring people while the people are cultivating, this is the only fear that we have,” he said.

“Now the youth are guarding women and children, guiding and taking them to the garden and back home. So, instead of people concentrating on cultivation, now people have started concentrating on monitoring, surveying the road.”

The governor said he has organized plans to protect the people in his state through coordinated efforts to monitor the movement of the abductors and reduce unprecedented abduction

“We have mobilized and organized people for this community coalition to protect the lives of people and their property in those areas.”