By Ijoo Bosco
The governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore yesterday called for immediate disarmament exercise to remove illicit firearms from the hands of civilians residing within Nimule town council, and has decided to run the State administration from Nimule.
The Governor has directed all security agencies based in Nimule to cooperate and jointly address the security challenges affecting the town.
He made the remarks while addressing hundreds of residents and communities in Nimule upon his arrival in the town, adding that he will run the State government from Nimule for a number of days, until complete trust and confidence is restored among the frightened population.
“All of you in these different uniforms are all here because of the express duty of providing protection to the people and safeguard the Highway,” he said.
The Governor who arrived Nimule on Tuesday morning to quell the heightened tension called on members of Madi community to exercise maximum restraint, as government deployed security forces to safeguard the town from degenerating into chaos.
And the joint security organs briefed the Governor on the general security situation in the area, saying investigations are ongoing to arrest the perpetrators of the violence and killings.
However, calm has returned to Eastern Equatoria border town of Nimule as State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore camped in the area to restore appalling situation.
Nevertheless, the governor sent a message of condolences to the families of the slain chief and two youths who died in a bizarre circumstance on Saturday and Monday respectively.
Governor Lobong who had temporarily transferred operations of his office to Nimule said traffic flow in and out the country has been restored, and that shops reopened and movement in the town has resumed.
He though appealed to the communities who took refuge in Uganda to come back home, and return to work in their farms and other economic activities.
He reiterated his called on all communities residing in Nimule to refrain from causing chaos in the area. Lobong called on youths not to take law into their hands but rather allow government follow the due course of the law.
Governor Lobong called for peace and harmony in the area to allow people go about their daily activities without interruptions, and he urged members of the Madi community to stay in their homes, and advised them not to cross in Uganda and take refuge in the camps.
The killing of the two young men in Mugali Payam, and that of the Chief had sparked high tension in Nimule, disrupting normal activities. But, with the presence of the Governor, normalcy has been restored.
The Governor of Eastern Equatoria State moreover said, the interest of the perpetrators of violence in Nimule is to see into it that the Madi people run away from their land into the displaced camps.
The person who killed Chief Ebele John Alex has been arrested and is in police custody in Nimule awaiting trial, and sentencing in the court of law. But those that killed two people in Mugali are still at large.
The Governor was accompanied to Nimule by the Minister of Animal Resources, Fisheries and Tourism, Angelo Geri and the Chairperson of Security Committee in the State Legislative Assembly Hon. Margret William Apary.
The Governor has met the Madi community as well as the Dinka Bor, besides the Dinka Community leaders, and urged them to refrain from conflict.