New bridge at Jur River constructed by Chinese government - Courtesy

Security officers in Western Bahr el-Ghazal reportedly detained a youth leader on Thursday after he submitted a petition to the state parliament to protest the alleged name of a local bridge.

Santino Madut, the deputy chairperson of the Luo Youth Association, was detained just two days after submitting the protest letter in Wau town.

According to the Association’s Chairperson, Madut was arrested on the orders of parliament Speaker Mohamed Abakar Mohameden.

Gabriel Dal said his deputy and other youths were accused of allegedly attacking the speaker’s residence.

Mr Dal revealed that the detainee is currently being held at the National Security premises in Wau town.

“Santino took the paper with one of the members and they went to the Assembly, reaching there the Hon. Rt. Speaker ordered the national security that was there and immediately they picked Santino Madut and was taken to the National Security premise in Wau,” Dal narrated.

“I called him (speaker) asking about the reason why Madut was arrested, and then Rt. Hon Speaker said his house came under attack in the morning by unknown people who were dressed in plain civilian clothes.”

Dal said the speaker suspected that his deputy Madut might be behind the alleged attack on his house.

“So he asks why the youth submitted the petition to his office and then his house got attacked, so he suspects the youth from Luo to have done this. So, right now as we talk one of our members is under detention now.”

Several calls to Western Bahr El Ghazal state officials to seek comment on the arrest were answered.

Constructed by the Chinese, the new bridge is expected to be officially inaugurated by the end of this year.

However, there has been tension over the controversial naming of the new bridge, which is geographically in Jur River County, after a liberation hero Clement Boro.

A section of the ethnic Lou community is protesting the move terming it a land grabbing attempt.

On October 4, 2023, Luo youth had for the second time petitioned the parliament over the issue.

WBGs parliament Speaker Mohamed Abakar Mohameden, who received the petition letter, said his administration will forward the complaints to the relevant committees of the August House to investigate the matter.

However, the speaker asked the Luo youth to produce proof of the new bridge name when it was signed between the government of China and South Sudan.