Undated photo of Ambororo pastoralists pictured crossing a river in Western Equatoria State. | File photo.

The commissioners of Yei River and Lainya counties in Central Equatoria State have raised concerns about an influx of Ambororo nomads roaming the area and potentially disrupting farming activities.

Yei County Commissioner Aggrey Cyrus Kanikwa said the Ambororo tribesmen with their herds have been in the area for a week and are based in Tukuri Boma of Lasu Payam.

Mr. Cyrus added that the local population lives in fear that the presence of the nomads from Chad and Central African Republic will hinder agriculture as the area prepares for the rainy season.

“The Ambororo roaming started 7 days back and it is rampant. We do not know where they are heading to,” he told Eye Radio.

“They settled in a place called Tukuri claiming that they were just passing, and they will go back but now they are moving towards East,” he said.

“The serious thing is that it is farming season, and many people are doing farming activity, and the biggest fear is the cattle might interrupt farming, and that is the biggest fear.”

On his part, Lainya Commissioner Emmanuel Khamis Richard said it has been three weeks since the Ambororo herders arrived at the area and settled in Mukaya Payam.

He stated that the presence of the Ambororo requires intervention from the National and State governments.

“This time, we have seen a heavy influx of the Ambororo who are also armed. As I speak to you now, some of their cattle camps are already in parts Mukaya Payam of Lainya County.”

“We will need the support of the National and State governments to ensure that they are forced to return to where they came from.”

Central Equatoria State Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony called for the urgent eviction of the Ambororo Nomads in Greater Yei as the local population gear up for farming season.

In a social media statement, Governor Adil re-directed security personnel to execute the order to ensure the nomads vacate the area peacefully or “face the full force of the law.”

Armed and dangerous, the nomads from the semi-arid regions of Chad and Central Africa Republic are long known to be wandering in many parts of Western Equatoria State, where there have been reports of deadly skirmishes with the local populations.

In Ezo, Ibba and Tombura counties, local authorities have since reported multiple attacks on villagers by the nomads since last year.

In March 2023, a youth leader in one of Ibba payams, named Simon Pakasa was killed, and two others were injured during clashes between the local youth and Ambororo pastoralists.

In the same month, three people were killed and a nine-month-old baby boy was nursing a bullet wound (current fate unknown) after the nomads ambushed civilians in Yambio County..

In May 2023, two men were found dead in the bush after going missing during an armed attack on villagers in Ibba by the Ambororo nomads, according to an official.

A few days later, the Director for Legal Affairs at the National Police Service, Major General Sadik Ismail, said the issue of Ambororo attacks is “very serious” and requires national government intervention.

Following the incidents, President Salva Kiir, in a meeting with Azande King, His Majesty Atoroba Peni, promised to curb the attacks by foreign herders intruding from the Central African Republic and restore stability in the state.