A man takes a walk in the UN POC camp in Bentiu, Unity State in 2020 | Credit | UNMISS

At least three suspects have been detained in connection with the killing of a man at an IDP camp in Bentiu last month.

The deceased, identified as Riek Tol, was reportedly an employee of the Greater Pioneer Operating Company, GPOC.

Police in Unity State said the 50-year-old man was shot and killed during an attempted robbery at the camp.

According to an eyewitness, a stray bullet hit him after two armed men tried to rob another man of his phone.

The first bullet injured the target (phone owner); while the second one fatally hit Tol.

“It is not clear whether they are the ones or not, but we are still investigating into the incident,” said Gabriel Hon, information minister.

Authorities there have declined to name the suspected criminals, whose behavior reportedly caused panic among the IDPs.

However, the information minister says the ‘situation is now calm” in the camp that was formerly protected by the UN.

In April 2021, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan handed over the Bentiu protection site to the Unity State government.

The Internally Displaced Persons in Bentiu had protested the decision, arguing that the withdrawal of UN troops from the camps would leave them vulnerable to attacks.