By Bida Elly David
Western Equatoria State Governor, Gen. Alfred Futuyo’s bodyguard has been killed and four others sustained injuries in an attack by an unknown armed group last Friday.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, the victims were travelling along the Yambio-Tambura Road for an official family.
“On Friday, 4 bodyguards of the governor of western Equatoria State with the family visit, reaching in Moso area at 2 pm, a group of criminals ambushed them, one person called Charles Malish was shot dead and three others sustained injuries,’’ the statement read.
He strongly discouraged any acts of revenge and urged calm among the victim’s families while the government conducts an investigation into the matter.
“We urged the citizens not to consider this incident as an attack on any tribe, no tribe should take revenge against each other,’’ the statement added.
Governor Futuyo extended his condolences to the family of the deceased, identified as Charles Malish, and expressed sympathy for the injured soldiers.
He reassured the public that the government is committed to ensuring peace and security in the state.
According to the statement, the governor’s office also acknowledged the presence of a criminal group terrorizing the Bodo area in Yambio and the region between Ezo and Tambura and confirmed that security forces have been deployed to address the security situation in those areas.
In a separate statement, the Balanda community strongly condemned the attack and called for swift action from the government to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), also condemned the incident and stated that it violated the permanent ceasefire agreement.
“This incident demonstrates bad and disturbing sign since the country is in the motto of public debate on the possibility of conducting the looming elections scheduled for December 2024 per the provisions of the R-ARCSS,’’ he said
He urged the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) to promptly investigate the incident and make its findings public.
Yakani attributed the prevailing insecurity on the roads to the slow progress in unifying and deploying the armed forces as part of the peace agreement.
He emphasized the need for decisive action from the political leadership and transitional security committees to ensure the timely unification of forces before the December 2024 elections.
“It is another indicator of potential risks ahead of the December 2024 elections. The political leadership of the country jointly with the transitional security committees such as the Joint Defense Board (JDB) and Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC) should act on the unification of the forces prior to the conduct of the December 2024 elections. Mr. Yakani stressed