Police bust criminal gangs, arrest 97 suspects
Boda boda cyclists go about their businesses in Arua Town. Police arrested people suspected to be members of different criminal gangs at the weekend. PHOTO | FELIX WAROM OKELLO
Police in Arua City have conducted a crackdown on different criminal gangs that have been terrorising locals and travellers.
“We conducted intelligence-led operations. As of now, we have arrested 97 suspects, a number of them have since been convicted,” the Arua City Police Commander, Mr Jude Nasucha, said on Monday.
He said all the arrests were as a result of community cooperation.
Several gangsters have been snatching phones and hand bags of travellers or locals returning from markets even on broad daylight.
The most affected areas are Ediofe, Mvara, Awindiri, Tangayika Cell, Jiako, Odramacaku, the bus terminals, and Drivers’ Corner.
Some of the gangs trail travellers on motorcycles and hit them with iron bars. A number of suspects, according to police investigations, once they commit crimes, escape to the neighbouring DR Congo through the porous border points.
At the weekend, police in the city broke into a criminal gang cell and arrested 97 suspects believed to have been terrorising residents in the last two months.
Key among the criminal gangs include the Bumbulu squad, 35 dogs group, Manya boys, Fire eaters, Chicken Cannot Pass, Janjanweed group, and Jobless billionaires.
Police also made a number of recoveries ranging from stolen motorcycles, house breaking implements and opium as exhibits from the hideouts.
“These operations are ongoing and we want to make sure we ‘clean’ the city,” Mr Nasucha said.
The West Nile regional police public relations officer, Ms Josephine Angucia, said the operations are highly coordinated.
“We get information from locals. We then work with leaders and track the criminals on our records. Most of them are hard core criminals,” Ms Angucia said.
Vandalism
Ms Angucia also appealed to locals not to vandalise street security cameras, which have helped in identifying criminals.
Police also appealed to the public against taking the law into their hand. It followed an incident where three people were murdered by a mob over allegation of stealing goats.
The incident happened in Barize Cell, Ombaci Ward, Ayivu West Division, Arua City last Wednesday. Police arrived at the scene when the trio had been stoned to death.
