Nimule bridge, a short distance from Ugandan border side post, Elegu - Courtesy

A South Sudanese national crossing the Nimule-Elegu Border post was found in possession of a loaded pistol and intercepted on Monday, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) said, adding that the incident happened two weeks after another pistol was recovered from a Sudanese refugee.

In a press statement, URA said the pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition was found in luggage belonging to one Machol Majur Madol, a South Sudanese national who was crossing into Uganda.

It was stated that Madol had stealthily concealed the weapon in his hand luggage, but that this was unearthed by an advanced baggage scanners known as non-intrusive inspection technology that the tax agency deployed at the border post.

“The scanners are fitted with non-intrusive inspection (NII) technology that uses advanced X-ray scanners to inspect large volumes of cargo without the need to physically open them,” the statement said.

“They transmit images from the various borders to the Central Command and Monitoring Center in Kampala in real time.”

It was not clear if the South Sudanese traveler was arrested turned back to Nimule – but the statement disclosed that the case has been forwarded to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence for “further management.”

South Sudanese authorities at the Nimule border point were not immediately available for comment.

URA said the interception comes two weeks after a female passenger from Sudan was discovered while trying to enter Uganda with a concealed pistol at the same border point.

Uganda said interventions facilitated by NII equipment last year led to the recovery of nearly $60 million (UGX 218 billion), demonstrating its effectiveness in securing revenue, ensuring safety, and enhancing the country’s security.