Security agencies in Bunyoro region are hunting for unknown assailants who attacked a soldier belonging to Uganda People's Defence Forces UPDF's 13th battalion, hacked him and took his gun in Kikuube district.

Pt Wickliffe Musibira is one of the UPDF soldiers guarding Bugoma Forest Reserve under the Kaseeta detach in Nyairongo village, Kabwoya sub-county in Kikuube.

Sources from the scene of the attack who preferred anonymity said the victim was attacked on Wednesday evening at about 9:00 pm after he got separated from his colleagues while on duty.

The sources alleged that the victim was attacked by a group of assailants who ambushed him inside Bugoma Forest and hacked him before they took his gun and ammunition.

The sources also told New Vision that the victim was injured on the stomach and the hand by the assailants before he could defend himself.

It is also alleged that after they cut his hand, the victim dropped his gun and the thugs picked it up and disappeared into the forest.

Conflicting reports

Masindi artillery division public relations officer, Lt Geoffrey Sande, confirmed the attack and the theft of the gun.

However, he said that Musibira was not injured as sources are claiming, adding that the soldier was arrested and is being investigated on how he lost the gun.

He added that soldiers had been dispatched to the area to hunt for the assailants.

“We suspect maybe these people who vandalise the forest to be behind this act. The soldier is okay, only that he lost his gun under unclear circumstances and the effort to look for this gun is underway. So, there is no cause for an alarm,” Sande said.

By press time, a team of security officers, led by Kikuube district Resident District Commissioner, Amlan Tumusiime, who is the head of security, were in Nyairongo holding a closed-door security meeting over the matter.

Family of five under arrest

Nyairongo village LC1 chairperson said security had arrested and detained the wife and children of one of the suspects behind the attack on the soldier.

The attack comes just a few days after UPDF spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye, rubbished claims that there are rebels in the country who have continued to make attacks on security personnel and installations. He described the attackers as criminals being incited by political actors.

In Mbale district, a Police post in Bungokho has lost two guns to thugs who broke into the OC station's office in the wee hours of November 24, 2022.

Attacks on security personnel where guns and lives have been lost

• On July 25, 2022, unknown machete-wielding men attacked a traffic police roadblock at Kiwumba on the Kampala-Gulu highway and killed a Police officer who was guarding the traffic police on duty. Guns were stolen.

• On August 1st this year, two officers attached to Kayabwe Police station, Paul NKolo and his colleague, Lawrence Otim, were attacked by armed people who were travelling in a vehicle. The attackers wanted to take guns from the two officers who were heading for night duty at a Catholic church at Mitala Maria, parish, Buwama town council. In the fracas, Otim was shot and injured, but the officers managed to save the guns.

• On October 31, 2022, armed men attacked Busiika Police station in Luweero district, shot and killed two Police officers and later disappeared with their guns.

• On November 17, 2022, when unknown people attacked and killed Sgt Simon Peter Eyagu, who was guarding at Amber Court Road close to Gadaffi Barracks Jinja Cantonment. Two guns were also stolen.
  
  
• The most recent attack was on a security guard belonging to GKO Security who was beaten to near death and robbed of a firearm on Monday, November 21, 2022. The attack was in Kasangati town council, Wakiso district.

According to Deputy IGP Geofrey Katsigazi Tumusiime, the Police, together with other security organs, are handling the matter and all the culprits behind these crimes will be arrested and charged before the lawful courts.

He made the remarks during a visit to Katonga policing region, which is made up of the districts of Mpigi, Gomba and Butambala, last week.