Joseph Ukel [left] in a past function | Credit | BRAC

The veteran politician and signatory to the new peace accord, Joseph Ukel Ubang, has been released a day after he was arrested by the national security service in Wau State.

Joseph Ukel, who represents the United Sudan African Party or USAP in the new peace agreement, was detained on Wednesday and flown to Juba yesterday over an unexplained reason.

According to the USAP spokesperson, the 80-year-old man was freed upon arrival in Juba yesterday.

“They took him to National Security headquarters [in Juba] and then released him at around 3 PM without any investigation or any statement taken from him,” said Philip Jiben, USAP spokesperson.

However, Joseph Ukel has been outspoken in his condemnation of violence against inhabitants of his home state.

This is particularly the recent ethnic attacks on residents of Kwajina where 15 people were allegedly killed and others displaced by cattle keepers from the neighboring Tonj State.