Major General Elia Costa, Police Commissioner in Jonglei State - (Photo: Courtesy).

Jonglei State Police Commissioner Major General Elia Costa says the government had to withdraw security forces deployed to Langar Parish to protect the church in order to avoid clashes with heavily armed believers.

General Costa was reacting to Archbishop Justin Badi Arrama’s displeasure with the handling of the church crisis.

Primate Badi had also alleged that the state government has failed to protect the church and doesn’t provide equal protection to ECSS believers.

But in his argument, Police Commissioner Costa said the youth were heavily armed – forcing the police to withdraw to avoid deadly confrontation.

“It’s not that we’re not doing anything. We deployed our forces there in that church so those youth and chief they mobilized themselves with heavy guns then they came,” Costa told Eye Radio.

“Our people tried to stop them, but after seeing it could lead to shooting between the armed youth and the police, we decided to be close the church.”

According to Primate Badi, the armed youth were mobilized by Makuac local leaders to forcefully close the churches that are loyal to Archbishop Moses Anur whom he had appointed over long-defrocked cleric Ruben Akurdit Ngong.

Speaking at a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, August 9, Badi claimed that the police failed to act against the invasion.

He called on the state authorities to issue an order for the reopening of the church.

“The ECSS leadership is displeased with the failure of the government for not giving equal rights and protections to E.C.S.S like other churches and domination in Bor town,” he said.

“Today, in the name of the almighty God, we call upon the government to immediately give orders for our church in Bor to be open for worship as soon as possible and give freedom to all the E.C.S.S Bishops, Clergy, and faithful to move and operate freely.”