Napak residents flee homes over attacks by suspected armed cattle rustlers

Hundreds of residents in Ngoleriet Sub County in Napak District in Karamoja sub region have fled their homes citing increasing attacks from suspected armed Matheniko cattle rustlers.
The residents who have now camped at Kalotom primary school in Napak District told Daily Monitor that their homes have been raided almost on a daily basis and several of their colleagues killed by the suspected armed cattle rustlers but security personnel in the area seem to be incapable of intervening.

Mr John Nangiro, the LCI chairperson for Ngoleriet village said six people have been killed in his village since the beginning of this month.

He said residents are being attacked but police seems helpless to intervene.

"Whenever the armed rustlers attack the village, I call police but the police don't come to our rescue. Seems they are also scared of the warriors," he said.

Mr Jimmy Tebanyang, the LCV councilor for Ngoriet Sub County and also the district NRM chairperson for Napak echoed Nangiro’s claims that the security personnel seem to be scared of the armed rustlers.

"Imaging on Friday warriors killed one young man at around 11pm when police is just near here but none of them came to rescue our people,” he said.

He said he has made several report to security about the continuous attacks and murder in the area but no action has been taken.

"Something needs to be done otherwise people are getting finished in Napak,"he said.

Betty Nangiro another resident said if government cannot provide adequate security then it should return the guns they confiscated from some residents to defend themselves against such attacks.

However, Brig Joseph Balikuddembe, the 3rd division commander advised the residents not to panic, saying the security personnel have not failed as claimed.

"We regret the incidents but the situation is under control and we are working hard to get rid of those criminals," he said.

Brig Balikuddembe advised the residents to work with the security personnel to help in identifying the criminals.