By William Madouk
Inspector General of Police, Gen. Majak Akec said there is a need to properly equip border police units for enhanced border protection.
Gen. Akec made this plea on Monday during a joint briefing of police officers at police headquarters in Buluk by the minister of interior, Angelina Teny.
Addressing the officers, General Akec expressed concern over the country’s undefined borders but asserted that for better protection, border police must be equipped to deal with perpetual insecurity and illegal cross-border activities.
“Our borders are not demarcated, and therefore, to protect them, there is a need for enough border police,” said Akec.
“To control our borders, for instance, if you have a border clearance fine and you don’t have mobility or the budget, we need our border police unit to be equipped in order to protect the border and monitor who is entering and exiting so that we will thwart insecurity,” he added.
The police boss also revealed that he has already presented a budget to execute the work but has received no response.
“We need a budget that we presented some two years ago, which has not been approved, but now we would like this budget to be looked into so that our border police can start their work until borders are demarcated,” he noted.
As time approaches day by day towards the anticipated general elections coming in 2024, the stagnating border disputes must be observed so that they will not plunge the country back into conflict.
South Sudan is currently facing border disputes, particularly at the northern border with Sudan, particularly with Abyei, among other issues.
The country is facing conflict with Kenya over the Nadapal area, with numerous clashes. Yet, Ethiopia claims parts of Gambella on its borders, while South Sudan and Uganda are engaged in a border brawl in Kajo-Keji County territories, bordering Ugandan districts Moyo and Yumbe.