Aerial view a section of Juba City. Photo: Courtesy

Juba City is yet again rocked by worrisome stories of indiscriminate kidnappings by mysterious criminals driving mini- passenger buses or suspicious security vehicles in the streets.

Almost everyone in the city has either heard of someone that was kidnapped or at least such stories.

On Wednesday, 22-year-old Evans Peter and two other friends were happily chatting as they were returning home from watching a football match at Buluk Training Center.

A few minutes later, they were kidnapped in broad daylight by men on a Toyota land cruiser between the national parliament and Dr. John Garang Mausoleum.

“As we were coming around Dr. John Garang opposite the JICA place for construction of water – we were like three of us walking. so, this land cruiser came and stopped by and they told us to stop that, there was these crackdown of niggas and they told us there were ‘nigga’s from around the area of Buluk and so they picked us all,” Peter narated.

Peter said the kidnappers had introduced themselves as security forces involved in the recent crackdown of Juba city Council in the city.

“So we did not hesitate, we went inside and they took us by force and told us to get down. So, we entered and they told us to put our heads down and we thought they would take us to a nearby police station or something like that.”

Peter and his friends were aware of the new reality when they ended up being driven around the city for hours.

But later on, he said, “we found four more boys in the kidnappers’ hideout.’

According to him, the boys spent a hopeless night. However, he managed to escape from the kidnappers while they were refilling their car in Khor Romla.

He was later found in the Khor Romla area East of Juba.

However, the four boys were released since they spoke a similar language as the criminal kidnappers.

Evans Peter’s uncle confirmed the kidnapping incident to Eye Radio saying “those boys are seven, but my son was arrested with some two and they found other four already there, so those four boys were released on the same day because they speak one languagee.”

Manas Nigo called on families to be cautious with their sons and daughters whenever they are stepping out from home.

“If there is anybody or families who are listening to this story outside there, because a lot of people are listening to Eye Radio, let’s be cautious and try to help our children and people to move randomly.”

“What saved this boy is not our power, but as a plan of God. But our concept is that there is a government that is helping us with our properties, I think I am sorry for that and sorry to say it.”

In March this year, Eye Radio’s former editor, Woja Emmanuel was kidnapped, drugged, tortured, and dumped in the Lologo area on the outskirt of Juba.

Woja was picked up a few meters away from Eye Radio’s premises at around 9 am by people driving a tinted white Harrier car.

He later escaped at around 8 pm when the kidnappers dumped him around Rajaf west.

Residents of Juba have been complaining of mysterious criminals kidnapping people along the streets.

The incidents are allegedly carried out by men who pretended to be public vehicle drivers.

According to testimonies from survivors and their families, the kidnappers drive tinted cars along the streets looking for a potential hostage.

The taxis often carry a few men who pretend to be passengers, leaving only two seats vacant.

Also, a teenage boy was kidnapped along Custom-Malakia Road and was found unconscious six hours later in a suburb near Nesitu.