Gen. Santino Deng Wol, the Chief of Defense Forces being welcomed in Nimule by Governor Louis Lobong, the governor of Eastern Equatoria State - Courtesy

The Governor of Eastern Equatoria Louis Lobong Lojore has returned to the state headquarters in Torit after an improved security situation at the border town of Nimule.

Nimule town Clerk Max Yousif Khalafala told Eye Radio on Thursday evening, the security situation is relatively stable after the governor deployed security forces.

Yousif said residents are going about their businesses and that the main highway linking Juba with the neighboring Uganda is functional.

“There is no problem. It is okay. Nimule is okay, the shops are opening, everything is normal and the governor has just left for Torit a while ago,” the official said.

In the last two days, the situation in Nimule has been tense following a series of killings including the assassination of a prominent traditional chief and the shooting of two others on Monday.

Speaking to Eye Radio from Nimule town, Yousif said the situation has returned to normalcy.

“People are moving up and down. Even the cars are moving from Juba to Uganda, and from Uganda to Juba. The road is open because we have deployed all the forces across the corners of the town,” said Yousif.

On Thursday morning, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State was reported to have temporarily relocated his office to Nimule town of Magwi County, following intensifying insecurities in the area.

According to his office, Governor Louis Lobong moved his office to the border town in the meantime to restore calm in the area.

In the recent weeks, the state of Eastern Equatoria has been rocked by deadly incidents of communal violence, cattle raids and targeted killings in the areas of Kapoeta, Nimule and Torit.