Moses Lokol Apolokae, the LC III Chairperson of Kamoru sub-county in Kotido district has fled his home citing serious death threats from suspected cattle raiders. This comes a week after joint security forces arrested 313 suspected rustlers from Kotido and transferred them to Agago district for trial on numerous charges relating to cattle rustling.
It is alleged that the rustlers who survived the arrest confronted the LC III chairperson accusing him of allowing soldiers to arrest their colleagues. Lokol says that he has since abandoned his home because the warriors are after his life. According to Lokol, he now lives in town after surviving death narrowly on Monday night when the warriors tried to raid his residence.
He explains that although the warriors are young boys, he doesn’t take their threats for granted. ‘’These are just young boys but I don’t take them for granted. They approached me and asked if I know how they killed the Chairperson of Napumpum. I told them that I don’t know and they said that I should work for them or else they will send me back to the creator,’’ Lokol told URN.
He says that the warriors pressurised him to ensure the release of their colleagues, which prompted him to approach security over the same but his request was turned down. Lokol revealed that the raiders have tasked him to follow up with their colleagues who were arrested and have them released or else his life is in danger.
Pius Loupa, a peace activist in Kotido district observed that the random arrest of warriors by the security forces has forced them to fight back. Loupa says that once the warriors issue such threatening statements, the victims should always seek protection from the forces because the raiders are angry and ready to kill.
In May 2022, suspected cattle rustlers gunned down Paul Lowok, the LCIII chairperson of Napumpum sub-county in Kotido district. Lowok was killed a day after he had promised to retrieve an illegal firearm from a warrior in his area.URN
