The Governor of Wau, Elias Waya Nyipuoch has distanced himself from sporadic killings in the state.

Wau was created in October from the former Western Bhar al-Ghazal.

The then governor, Rizik Zecharia, told Eye Radio last week that Mr Elias did not follow a procedure to divide security forces among the new states.

Mr Rizik said his cooperation with the security forces when he was the governor of the former state led to more stability.

He implied that the security has worsened in Wau since he left to be governor of Lol.

However, Mr Elias says insecurity in the state existed even before Mr Rizik left office.

“I came on 14 January this year. The first meeting I held with the security committee from first January 2016 to 14. That time I came there were already five dead within this shot period of time, something like 13 days.

So the killing did not start with me, with my coming, it was already a continuous thing,” he said.

Mr Elias warned that the statement of Mr Rizik about a worsening security in Wau since he left could be an incitement against his administration.