2 soldiers, 75 civilians arrested in Karamoja after warriors overrun military detach

Two soldiers and 75 civilians have been arrested by joint security forces in Karamoja after suspected Karimojong warriors reportedly overran a military detachment in Napak district last week and stole two guns.

The warriors reportedly attacked Naminit military detachment in Nabwal sub-county and overpowered two soldiers who were manning security before breaking into the armoury where they stole two guns and 180 rounds of ammunition.

Micheal Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional police spokesperson, says that two soldiers have since been arrested for failure to protect the armoury together with the civilians whom they suspect to have participated in the raid.

Longole says that they are also hunting for suspected warriors who attacked one of their officers and picked his uniform between Lokomeebu and Nakwanamoru in Kotido district.

According to Longole, the attackers hacked the officer on the head using a panga and undressed him before taking away his uniform. Longole said the victim was found lying naked and unconscious along the road by businesspeople who were passing by.

Longole also revealed that in the same week, they lost three officers during crossfire fighting between the security forces and the armed warriors who were on the raid mission in Kotido district. The forces have registered several achievements since July 2021 when the ‘Usalama Kwa Wote’ operations were launched. They have recovered livestock and illegal guns from the hands of armed warriors. 

Security has also netted 18,452 suspects, 2921 of whom have since appeared before the military court martial. Of these 685 have been convicted. The officers also recovered 630 guns, 3935 ammunition, and 29,627 cows out of 42000 stolen.