A signpost marks the administrative center of Lado Payam, where more than 22,000 plots were allocated for settlement and investment in the Nyamini and Lodimi areas of Juba County. Photo: Jeniffer Nyling

The Commissioner of Juba County has launched a crackdown on illegal acquisition of land in Lado Payam and surrounding areas.

According to a statement from the Office of the Governor of Central Equatoria State – CES Governor’s Press Unit, the operation is being conducted in collaboration with security agencies and has already led to the arrest of several suspects accused of land grabbing activities.

The statement further stated that the ongoing campaign is aimed at stopping illegal land occupation, restoring order in land administration, and strengthening respect for the rule of law across Juba County.

Commissioner Samuel Emiliano Wani, confirmed that the operation will continue across Juba County as part of efforts to curb land grabbing and strengthen law enforcement.

Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony expressed full support for the ongoing operation, urging closer coordination between county leadership and security forces to ensure sustained results.

He also stressed the importance of working closely with the Ministry of Land, Housing and Public Utilities to ensure that land is allocated and handed over to its rightful owners.

The development comes shortly after Commissioner Wani assumed office on 13 April 2026, when he pledged to prioritize security, land governance, and service delivery as the core pillars of his administration.

In his earlier remarks during the swearing-in ceremony at the State Secretariat, Wani described his role as a responsibility to deliver practical results, not a ceremonial appointment.

He committed to addressing insecurity, including gang-related crime and motorcycle robberies, while also tackling widespread land grabbing in Juba County.

He further pledged reforms in service delivery, focusing on improving access to clean water, healthcare, and education, particularly in rural communities.

Wani also called for unity and civic participation, emphasizing that Juba County should become “a beacon of peace.”

Central Equatoria State Deputy Governor Paulino Lukudu, who attended the earlier ceremony, had also urged firm action against land grabbing, describing it as one of the county’s most pressing challenges and calling for courage, integrity, and intergovernmental cooperation to resolve land disputes.

The current crackdown signals an early test of the new commissioner’s agenda to address long-standing tensions over land ownership and insecurity in the county.