Gunmen abduct local official in S. Sudan’s Yei state

December 6, 2016 (JUBA) – Armed men abducted a local South Sudan leader in the troubled Yei River state over the weekend, officials said on Tuesday.

Julius Tabule, the Commissioner of newly created Kangapo County in Kajo-Keji, Yei River State was taken at gunpoint while attending a funeral services in Bori, a village close to South Sudan – Uganda border on Sunday.

Yei River Governor David Lokonga Moses told a local radio station in Juba on Tuesday that Commissioner Tabule was kidnapped by “unknown gunmen.”

“In fact, he went for prayers of funeral, then he ended up in the hands of these unknown gunmen who abducted him and we don’t know [his whereabouts now]. I am still not getting details, but I am trying to establish contacts,” Lokongo told Juba’s based Eye Radio.

A resident of Kajo-Keji told Sudan Tribune that two armed men stormed the funeral services on Sunday and led away the commissioner.

“The gunmen cocked their guns and asked the mourners ‘who is the commissioner here?’. The commissioner identified himself and they led him into his own car and ordered the driver to drive all of them away,” said the source who preferred to keep anonymity.

Many civilians fled the area to Uganda following the kidnapping of the local administrator.

Government sources have blamed the armed SPLM In Opposition for the abduction though this has not been independently confirmed.

Last Sunday SPLM-Io rebels who are active in the area said they captured LasuLonbongo in Yei River State.

(ST)