The Police Commissioner in Northern Bhar al Ghazal State has denied allegations of an attempted coup.

There was confusion in Aweil when security forces blocked all roads in and out of the state capital yesterday.

The Minister of Information in the state, Wek Kuch, said the police commissioner made the deployment without consulting the state government.

“The inspector of police made his own arrangements by closing all the roads going into different directions from Aweil headquarters. He closed all the roads and prevented all movement of cars coming in and going outside. He made this and then he went outside. Some people said that he went up to Aweil North, his homeland,” Mr Kuch said.

This deployment of roads caused confusion and led to allegations that the police commissioner, Akot Deng Akot, had declared himself the state governor.

However, he has denied that he tried to take over the state government.

Akot says he deployed the forces in response to a protest organized by youth.

“At all, I even never thought of becoming a governor one time. I never think of it,” he added

Akot says a team has been sent to the state to investigate the incident.