Dec 06, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Two Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition soldier’s disagreement over weapons caused panic among civilians in Yambio’s main market
The two soldiers Jimmy Sikpa and James Bafuka met in the Market to try to resolve their differences.
According to the police commissioner, Major General James Mande Innoka , Jimmy Sikpa claimed that his colleague, James Bafuka, robbed his wife in May 2020 and went away with his 3 rifles, 1 pistol, and rounds of ammunition
“The two soldiers have a conflict on the issue of guns, Jimmy claims that his colleague Bafuka took his 3 rifles, 1 pistol and number of ammunitions, so the two met in Yambio market today and they were about to clash and the government intervened and the two were arrested for disciplinary measures,” according to Mande.
“They were brought to the State Secretariat, in the House of the governor and the issue of the two was resolved.” The police commissioner added.
Mande assured the residents of Western Equatoria State especially those who reside in Yambio that the security situation was in control.
“I want to assure the people of Western Equatoria State in general and the people of Yambio that they should not panic because the security situation is under control,” Mande said.
The police commissioner promised to tighten the security as insecurity usually increases towards Christmas.
“Now we will be busy working to protect them day and night using patrols because we know this is the time of the theft and it has increased during this time of Christmas. Everybody wants to take the other’s properties by illegal means and we are starting today,” he continued.
Traders in the market called on the government to punish the soldiers as the tension that caused affected their businesses.
“What has happened scared us. Soldiers are not supposed to react like this in public and we have even lost some of our properties and our customers as some people were running home for safety. My message to the government is that those people should be punished so that they do not repeat such behaviour,” the trader said.
The secretary-general for the Civil Society Network in Yambio, Wingba Benedict, said they are trying to resolve the case as they don’t want to see conflict in the area again.
“For us, as we are trying to talk to the parties involved in the case but per now the situation has calm down so our message as Civil Society to the communities, the government and all the parties are we are for peace and we need peace we don’t want to see that the conflict has started again,” said Wingba.
