Army, police bust gun racket

The Aswa regional police spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, displays some of the guns recovered from thugs in an operation conducted in April last year. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI

Gulu- The army and police in their joint operation have recovered four guns within Gulu Municipality from suspected traffickers in covert operations conducted in the last two weeks.

Sources both within the army and police told Daily Monitor that the traffickers were netted in Gulu Municipality in operations headed by Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence [CMI] personnel.

They recovered a pistol and three AK-47 assault rifles loaded with undisclosed rounds of ammunition.
The suspects were reportedly trailed from central region while others sneaked into the country from Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

The 4th Infantry Division Commander, Brig Bonny Bamwiseki, said the army and their sister security agencies have been conducting operations to get rid of people who invade the municipality.

He said they had got information of people selling and buying guns from the area.
“We had some people who came from Kampala to Gulu to buy guns, the guns are suspected to have been trafficked from DR Congo and South Sudan. We have arrested them and recovered the guns to ensure safety of the town.”

He added: “We don’t know their motives whether they are buying the guns to stage highway robberies or killing people in Kampala. We are, however, continuing with operations to ensure that anyone behind the illegal gun trafficking is apprehended,” Brig Bamwiseki said.

He said the army conducted an operation a month ago in which it rescued children, who were allegedly recruited into subversive activities from Purongo Sub-county in Nwoya District, under the cover of being offered scholarships.

Other suffering regions
Information Daily Monitor obtained from sources indicates that eight children and undisclosed numbers of women were rescued by CMI agents in Kasese District being ferried into DRC to suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) camps.
It is alleged that these people were mobilised through a mosque in Purongo Sub-county.

Brig Bamwiseki said the army has since increased its engagement with religious leaders.
The Aswa Regional Police spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, last week asked locals to be vigilant and report to security authorities any suspicious activities or individuals in their area.

His statement followed the arrest of a suspected poacher by locals at Gulu Main Bus park who was found with an AK 47 assault rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.
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