Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers in Agago District have intensified the search for suspected Karimojong cattle rustlers who shot dead one person at Pakodongo village in Parabongo Sub-county.
The deceased, who was gunned down on Monday morning, has been identified as David Ogwang, the commandant of the Arrow Boys group.
The vigilante group, comprising youth, are well known for countering rustlers using bows and arrows and spears.
The deceased, a former LC1 chairperson of the same village, was reportedly nominated recently to command the group due to his experience.
In an interview on Monday, Mr Leonard Ojok, the Agago LC5 chairman, said: “The raiders shot and fled towards the hills in the direction of Lapono. Soldiers are still tracking them.”
Mr Francis Obita, a resident of Pakodong village, said Ogwang was shot by the rustlers while he was attending to a herd of cattle that were recovered by the Arrow Boys on Monday morning.
“They targeted the animals and once they shot him, they started driving the animals away towards the hills but abandoned them when the soldiers caught up to them,” Mr Obita said.
He added that throughout Monday, gunshots were heard around the village as the soldiers fought the rustlers.
Issue
He said the rustlers are camped in different areas in the district and the residents have since been hiding indoors with their animals.
“They have been operating around Ogili Hill for more than two weeks and the security teams cannot repel them,” Mr Obita said.
He said the rustlers, even in the absence of animals to raid, have become too many to be contained by the Arrow Boys.
But the Agago deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr James Okidi, asked the locals to desist from attempts of pursuing the rustlers without the presence of the army.
“The Karimojong are very many and they steal cattle and goats and at times kill the owners. We have called on our people to be vigilant and report immediately, this helps security to cover them quickly,” he said.
Mr Okidi, however, said the army has since been deployed at Ogilli Hills and spent the better part of Monday flushing the rustlers from their hideout.
According to residents, the suspected warriors have taken advantage of the Ogilli hills that cover the sub-counties of Parabongo, Wol and Paimol as a hideout where they coordinate their raid activities.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
