Two senior army officials held in N. Bahr el Ghazal
January 4, 2015 (JUBA) – The army in South Sudan is currently holding two senior army officials from the border state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, relatives and other officials told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
Yel Deng Nguel, an advisor to the state caretaker governor on development and former deputy governor, Arkenjelo Athian Angok were reportedly arrested on Saturday and taken to Wunyiik military headquarters, located about 12 miles north-east of the capital, Aweil.
The circumstances under which the two were arrested remains unclear.
“Comrade Arkenjelo Athian Teng Angok and Yel Deng Nguel, advisor on development have been arrested. They have just been taken to Wunyiik. Akot Deng gave them the order of arrest and asked the military to take them to Wunyiik,” an official said Saturday.
The official, who did not want to be identified for fear of political and security reprisals, claimed the army chief of general staff, Gen. Paul Malong Awan ordered the arrest of the two individuals.
“Police Commissioner Akot Deng Akot acted on the orders of chief of General staff who said he received reports that these officials have planned to sabotage his meetings in which number of orders were made today,” further said the official.
He added, “It was a political strategy to arrest them first and then hold meeting and make changes because it was not going to be possible to deputy chairperson in his presence. So they decided he is arrested first so that there could be no disturbances”.
Neither the army nor state officials have officially commented on the matter.
(ST).