By Jurugo Emmanuel Ogasto
Uganda’s Deputy Inspector General of Police (IGP), Maj. Gen. Tumusiime Katsinzi, is in the West Nile region on a mission to assess the security situation and the performance of the police.
The 3-day tour is aimed at identifying challenges and finding possible solutions to addressing them.
The IGP started his activities in the region with a tour of the police barracks at Arua Central Police Station and other facilities, including the newly constructed vehicle maintenance workshop.
“From the little I have learned so far and from the reports, the security situation in West Nile is good, not as problematic as other regions,” the IGP confirmed in a media briefing after his tour.
He noted that West Nile’s major security problem is the rise of gang groups that terrorize people; a case he said is being monitored closely by police and other security agencies.
Recently, a businessman was robbed in Arua town while on duty at night; this followed another robbery case at a petrol station. Not so long after this, a nearby security guard was also gunned down by suspected robbers while on duty.
However, the IGP noted that heads of different security agencies will be engaged in the fight against the insecurity in West Nile as it borders DR Congo and South Sudan.
“Police and other agencies have managed to contain it, and we are now coming to this region to look at how they are handling it, especially given the fact that this region borders two countries,” he stated.
“We also want to look at the influx of refugees, its effect, not the crime pattern, and how best the police can handle them,” the deputy IGP added.
After the tour at Arua CPS, the IGP chaired a meeting with district police commanders and other security officials.
He is also expected in the Ma’di sub-region to assess the security situation and the performance of the police.