One person was killed and three others injured on Wednesday in a mob attack on the Uganda Revenue Authority- URA service office in Koboko Municipality.
The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old Badru Adui, a Boda boda rider inKoboko town. He met his death when police opened fire to disperse the mob members who had surrounded Koboko central police station and attempted to torch a vehicle belonging to URA.
A stray bullet injured an unidentified woman who was hit in the armpit. The mob also injured a police officer and Ayub Abdurrahman, a vision group journalist. The injured are admitted at Koboko health centre IV.
Dr. Wilson Sanya, the mayor of Koboko municipality, says that the chaos erupted at around 10 am when a URA enforcement team from the Oraba border shot and injured a Boda boda rider suspected to have been involved in fuel smuggling using their vehicle.
According to Sanya, this angered other riders who mobilized and attempted to burn the URA domestic tax office in Koboko town.
Sanya explained that upon discovering that the URA vehicle was parked at Koboko central police station, the mob regrouped and surrounded Koboko Central Police Station forcing officers to use live bullets to disperse them.
Samuel Abwang, the Koboko District Police Commander has condemned the mob saying there are better ways to resolve conflicts.
Sanya has also condemned the methods used by URA to enforce tax compliance.
Clashes between Uganda Revenue Authority URA and smugglers are common in the West Nile region given the porous borders points between Uganda, DR Congo and South Sudan with some resulting in loss of lives.
In September 2021, the URA enforcement team shot dead Bosco Edema, a 21-year-old man while pursuing smugglers in Arivu trading center in Arua district. The same team also shot Philliam Aguni on the thigh in Vurra sub-county in Arua district.
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