LDUs kill 4 Karimojong cattle rustlers in Napak
A cattle keeper leads animals to a water point in Obongi, Moyo District, last year. Four cattle thieves have been killed by LDUs in Napak District. PHOTO/SCOVIN ICETA.
What you need to know:
- The UPDF extended the recruitment of LDUs to Katakwi in 2016 to help curb cattle theft by Karimojong rustlers.
Local Defence Unit (LDUs) personnel have killed four suspected Karimojong cattle thieves believed to be part of a group terrorising Katakwi District, authorities have confirmed.
The chairperson of Palam Sub-county in Katakwi, Mr Emmanuel Ojirot, said the suspects who had earlier stolen 19 head of cattle belonging to Mr Abraham Omina, a resident of Olilim Parish, Palam Sub-county, were killed in a botched livestock theft at Nabwal Village in Iriiri Sub-county, Napak District.
Mr Ojirot said the deceased persons are suspected to have crossed to his area through the unmanned border point between Napak and Katakwi.
“They found children grazing the animals. They arrested them but the children managed to escape and inform the people around, who later mobilised LDUs,” Mr Ojirot said on Monday.
Government recently deployed LDUs to prevent livestock theft by Karimojong rustlers. Authorities said six Karimojong cattle thieves have so far been killed since May.
Mr Ojirot said there has been rampant theft of livestock in Katakwi. The chairperson of Magoro Sub-county in Katakwi, Mr James Emongot Alemu, said the thieves have taken advantage of the scarcity of security personnel to terrorise locals.
“We barely have more than 20 soldiers in the whole sub-county and this is what is causing us problems,” he said.
Mr Alemu said in Angisa barracks, there are only five soldiers and in Ajamaka, there are only 10, yet there are more than 12 villages that are frequently being attacked.
The chairperson of Katakwi, Mr Walter Okiring Elakas, said the thieves have in the past two months made off with 69 animals from the sub-counties of Palam, Magoro and Ngariam.
“In May, 57 animals were stolen and this month (June), 12 have been taken by the rustlers,” he said.
Mr Elakas appealed to the army, LDUs and police to ensure that people and their livestock are protested.
The District Police Commander, Mr Jimmy Odonga, confirmed the theft of animals but promised to avail more details later. We were unable to get a comment from UPDF by press time.
