Major General Elia Costa, Police Commissioner in Jonglei State - (Photo: Courtesy).

Police in Jonglei State said Monday they are investigating a group of youth who allegedly attacked Nyirol County headquarters, demanding payment of their arrears.

State Commissioner of Police, Maj Gen Elia Costa said the armed youth are part of about 800 youths who made a verbal agreement with the government to protect road construction workers in their respective territories.

They were selected from Bor, Nyirol, Akobo, and Uror in Jonglei State to guard road construction by ARC company.

However, on Friday, Nyirol youth stormed the commissioner’s residence to demand their dues.

General Costa told Eye Radio that after Commissioner Bol Makuei told them that their money has not been sent, they terrorized the town with gunshots – injuring a woman.

“Nyirol County is far from Jonglei capital (Bor), but we have police in every county, and they are doing their work to arrest the culprits and investigate them,” Costa said.

“These are the same youth who raised the same issue last time. When they detained these ministers, they paid for them part of the money and that the balance would be paid at the county.”

“So now they have waited for a long without getting the pay, they attacked the Commissioner asking why their money is not paid.”

The state police chief blames the youth for failing to understand the nature of the agreement, which he said did not guarantee payment in cash but in kind.

Gen. Costa further called on the youth to support the government and understand that development initiatives are for their own good.

“My message to these youth is that not everything involves money. Everything should not be left to the government; the citizens have a role to play in the developmental projects”.

In May 2023, the same armed youth reportedly held several state officials to gain leverage in the negotiation for their unpaid wages.

The officials were eventually released.