Nov 27, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — A National Security Officer was killed on Thursday night by unknown gunmen, who also injured a motorcycle rider in Torit, Eastern Equatoria state.
According to Torit Police spokesperson Justine Kleopus Takuru, 2nd Lt. Peter Odee Solomon was shot yesterday at 10.00 pm near the police commissioner’s home adjacent to the Blue Moon Hotel.
“One of the commanders from the national security is shot. People went, the security also went and confirmed the incident.” Kleopus told a local radio station.
“We found it was our colleague 2nd Lt Peter Odee Solomon, he is a commander at national security here in Torit, 41 years old from Lotuko tribe. He was shot and he was found down but was carried to the hospital unfortunately he died,”He added.
Kleopus said that the deceased was heading home when they noticed some people following them. The boarded a motorcycle to escape from the people following them but them criminals caught up with them and shot at him.
“Those men just stopped and immediately shot the officer on the head; they fell from the bike and when this woman started crying, they slapped the woman and forced her to run. They also beat the rider and forced him to run till he was a bit far, he watched the assailants flash the late with a torch and then they went through the Inkas road,” he added.
The Torit police spokesperson said that the murder of the senior NSS officer was targeted so there was no need for the citizens to fear.
“We will secure the town. This killing is like a targeted killing by the people following him. Citizens should not fear we are working and security is everyone’s concern in case someone has any information, let us know,” he stressed.
The press secretary in the office of Eastern Equatoria State governor Mr. Oringa John Godfrey said that it is great dismay to lose this young, energetic, strong officer who was deliberately working to help the state to go forward.
“He is not just an ordinary officer but was the head of the protective unit in the defunct Torit State under the leadership of Tobiolo Alberio Oromo previously he was the head of the protective unit in the governor’s protection. We need to condemn this in the strongest terms possible,” he stated.
The Executive Director for the Eastern Vision on Rehabilitation and Development Agency or EVRDA, a civil society organization in the state Oryema Emmanuel says citizens now feel unsafe in the town.
“That means the civilians inside Torit are not secured because if an officer, a national security officer is shot within the town that means we are not safe. I urge the leadership of the state especially the security organs to make sure that they have to launch investigations and the perpetrators must be brought to book,” Emmanuel said. “Number two, the delay in the formation of state governments is the one causing this because by this time we could be having a full unified force that will protect the people and their properties.”
