Photo: From left to right - Hon. Rebecca Joshua,, a member of national parliament and also SPLM Chief Whip, Hon. Onyoti Adigo, the national minister of Livestock, and Fisheries, and Hon. Abuk Papit, a member of national parliament were among some of Chollo leaders and elders who visited Upper Nile in December 2022 - Credit: Office of the President [Nov. 28, 2022]

Authorities in Jonglei have been asked to help recover 100 abductees from Chollo Kingdom by the White Army in Fangak and Ayod Counties in late 2022.

An elder from the Chollo community, Onyoti Adigo, the national Livestock, and Fisheries Minister alleges that the captives were taken by the White Army that attacked Chollo areas last year.

He had in December 2022, traveled to many locations in the Upper Nile state in the company of other government officials including the SPLM Chief Whip, Rebecca Joshua.

Adigo says the White Army’s spiritual leader Makuach Tot is holding some 40 to 60 abducted people, the majority of whom are women and children.

The Chollo elder is appealing to the Jonglei State government and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene.

“Chollo community appeals to Jonglei state government to intervene and talk to that spiritual leader [Makuach Tot], and International Red Cross to intervene so that these people are released before we sit down for other things such as cattle raiding and blood compensation,” Adigo told Eye Radio.

“It has been a very terrible situation in which thousands and thousands of people have become displaced. This is why we went to Upper Nile last time and visited Malakal town and also, we went down to Wau, Akoko, Kodok, Melut, and Renk almost to Manyo County,” said Adigo.

“We found that many people got killed and also many wounded. Thousands of cattle have also been taken. Moreover, almost 100 people have been abducted by youth in which 40 to 60 are in the hands of a spiritual leader called Makuac.”

For his part, the Commissioner of Ayod County in Jonglei State says he is yet to find out if the White Army’s spiritual leader indeed is holding several children and women abducted from the Chollo Kingdom.

Speaking to Eye Radio Wednesday [January 18, 2023], Ayod County Commissioner James Chuol Jiek says the spiritual leader is currently residing in a remote area.

The alleged spiritual leader of the White Army, Makuach Tot comes from Ayod County of Jonglei State.