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IGP announces plan to acquire teargas, orders police to tackle unruly gangs

Author: Elshiekh Chol Ajeing | Published: January 28, 2025

Anti-riots police parade in Juba. (Photo: SSNPS).

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has announced plans to acquire teargas and other crowd control tools for the law enforcement officers and ordered the police force to act with seriousness in tackling gang-related insecurity in Juba.

Gen. Abraham Manyuat outlined key policies to address what he termed a growing trend of gang-related and other criminal activities in his directive to police officers.

During a parade at the police department of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) on Monday, he revealed that the police will be equipped with all needed equipment including electric stick and teargas.

Manyuat said the unruly gangs and related criminal activities have become a national concern. He described the unruly gangs not only as dangerous but a threat to their families and entire population.

“The issue of (gangs) is your responsibility. Now you have sticks, and very soon we will provide you with electric stick, and teargas,” he said.

“We have people of CID and professional standard. They know where these criminals are and this is important because if we leave them to take control of the country, that is your failure.”

“Those are a dangerous people and we need them to return to the law. Therefore we will arrest any niggas, we will open a case and take them to court for conviction to jail.”

Hundreds of idle and jobless youths are said to have grouped themselves into criminal gangs in Juba and other major towns in the country, and have been linked to violence, burglaries and disturbing public peace and safety, according to police reports.

Young people in South Sudan, make up an estimated 72% of the population – but face numerous challenges that limit their access to education and livelihoods opportunities – a situation linked with their involvement in negative practices.

The IGP’s order to tame youth gangs follows a countrywide protest and looting of shops, apparently triggered by the reported killing of South Sudanese civilians in Sudan’s Al Jazira State.

The night-time protests were met with shooting of firearms by security officers to disperse crowds, as the South Sudan police lacks teargas and other non-lethal riots control tools.

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