A village in Lowoi, Torit County. (Photo: Visit South Sudan/Facebook).

Local youth in Lowoi Payam of Torit County in Eastern Equatoria State known as Monyomiji have suspended daily farming activities to guard children against abductors, according to a lawmaker representing the area.

Hon. Samuel Buhori Loti disclosed the situation in an interview with Eye Radio after the local defenders recovered two children from the armed abductors on 5th July.

Loti said a group of abductors whom he suspected to be from Greater Pibor Administrative Area stormed Lowoi and stole two children. Attempts to reach authorities in GPAA were futile.

The children from different mothers and one father were believed to be five and six years old.

According to the area MP, the incident happened while the parents were in their farms cultivating when they were informed about the incident an hour later.

“The Monyimiji pursued them until at around 7 o’clock Saturday when they were found in a certain location cooking and they were attacked,” the lawmaker said.

“The two children were recovered safely and taken to rejoin their parents, and now, Monyiemiji are still on alert because we discovered there are a number of these abductors roaming around our bushes.”

Lawmaker Loti said a series of attacks in recent days have prompted the community to suspend farming to protect their children against the abductors.

“The Monyimiji now have suspended all cultivation activities in order to be able to take gut out of the community and their properties.”

He said the Lokoya Community in both the Eastern and Central Equatoria states have lost over 250 children to child abductors since 2012.

On Sunday, the Executive Director of Lirya Payam in Juba County of Central Equatoria State, said the abductors took three children in the area before one of them was shot dead and the children rescued.

In recent years, child abduction was widespread in Lirya Payam east of Central Equatoria State.

In 2017, the Local Government Administrator, revealed that at least 115 children have been abducted from Lirya, Lokiliri and Lowoi areas of Central Equatoria between 1989 and that period.

The research also revealed that at least 36 people were killed by abductors as they attempted to kidnap children.

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said in a report early this year – that there are increasing cases of abduction and human trafficking in several states including Jonglei State and Pibor Administrative Area.

The commission said it has documented cases of abduction and shocking stories of trafficking involving armed groups and members of the armed force.