Uganda Police Force has expressed concern over the increased cases of armed robberies and violence in Northern Uganda especially Acholi-Sub region, calling for robust interventions to contain the situation.
Deputy Police Spokesperson Polly Namaye told reporters at a press conference in Kampala on Monday “incidents of armed robbery had persisted in Acholi Sub-region that required exhaustive security counter-measures.”
For example on August 14, unknown thugs armed with SMG robbed a shop at Lamit Village, Pager A Parish in Kitgum Municipality.
They fired three bullets in the air before taking off with an unspecified amount of money.
On the same date, a Boda boda rider only identified as Oloya, resident of Paibon Parish; Layamo Sub County was attacked by unknown thugs who hired him to take them to Amida Sub County, Kitgum District.
They hit him with a hammer and took off with his motorcycle.
Further on that same date, unknown thugs armed with a pistol attacked one Alice Oyella, resident of Tacho Village in Patongo Town Council, Agago District.
Police investigations indicated that the thugs had expected Oyella to have come from Kampala with money for her construction work at home, but did not find any.
On August. 12, three suspected thugs identified as John Muloni, Richard Adagwa and Ivan Kidega Ivan attempted to rob Stanbic Bank Kitgum branch only to be stopped by police.
The three suspects have since been arrested, with police expecting them to have a hand in the region’s increased gun violence.
The northern region endured over two decades of a bloody conflict that left thousands dead and many others traumatized.
While government undertook a massive disarmament exercise in the region, ChimpReports understands many guns remain in the hands of civilians and former combatants.