By Jacob Onuha Nelson
Warrap State governor, Magok Magok Deng, has ordered arrest of five chiefs from Pagakdit in Tonj North County for failing to recover 300 cattle raided from Leer community of Kirik Payam.
In an interview on phone, the state minister of information, James Ayiek Bath confirmed the arrest.
He cited that the chiefs violated a Gubernatorial order when the governor visited Tonj and conducted community dialogue to address security issues related to cattle theft as well as revenge killings in the areas.
“Yeah, it is true the chiefs have been arrested on cattle theft orders of the Governor,” Ayiek stated.
According to the minister, after the engagement with local chiefs, the youth and communities of Noi, Atok and Leer, the governor ordered that no community should attack the other or no community should stage a cattle raid.
“So, these Gubernatorial orders were given so that the communities have to remain in peace, to allow the government address root causes of communal conflicts,” the minister added.
The head of criminal investigations, Maj. Ajal Bol Bol, said the raid was carried out by armed youth from Pagakdit last week and allegedly in the presence of the chiefs.
“The armed youth known as “Gelweng” raided three hundred head of cattle from Leer community and divided the cattle among them. The governor gave an order to return the cattle because he was in Tonj South. The armed youth divided the cattle by force. The governor ordered the chiefs to arrest,” Ajaj stated.