View of Magwi town of Eastern Equatoria State - Photo Courtesy

Authorities in Magwi County of Eastern Equatoria are deploying law enforcement agents including police and traffic officers in Pageri Payam in a bid to encourage the return of communities living in the refugee camps.

The local populations along the Nimule-Juba highway have remained in the refugee camps since 2016 conflict, after being displaced during the second outbreak of war in South Sudan.

Most of them have not returned from camps in neighboring Uganda and Kenya due to fear of insecurity in the deserted areas including Moli, Pageri, Loa and Mugali.

Magwi Commissioner Olum Benjamin Polepole said the deployment of around 17 police officers is to provide security and assurance of peace along the Madi corridor.

“We are going with the Inspector of Police Magwi County and Second Lt. of Traffic Police taking deployment of Police and Traffic Police Officers to Loa of Pageri Payam,” Polepole told Eye Radio.

“This is to ensure the presence of Police Service in the grassroots as a sign of peace in along Nimule Juba Highway. This is also aiming to motivate community from Pageri, Moli, Mugali and Nimule who are in refugee resettlement camps to return home since grass are maturing.”

While carrying out the deployment, they are expected to proceed to Mugali Payam to pay tribute to a senior local government official who passed on Sunday from a Ugandan hospital.

Late Mele Richard is said to have passed on yesterday in Lacoo Referral Hospital in Gulu.