A gun and a suspected stolen motorcycle have been recovered from two suspected armed robbers after a mob killed them in Ajia sub-county, Arua district.

The Wednesday afternoon incident saw angry residents descend on the two suspects, killing them on the spot and recovering an AK-47 gun, which was handed over to the police.

Kuluva parish LC2 chairperson Robert Aleku Aganya said he got a call from the LC1 of Alikua village in Ajia parish informing him of the deaths of Milton Nyakuni, who was a resident in his parish, and another whose identity had not been established.

The two alleged notorious thugs, armed with an AK47, had allegedly robbed a motorcycle in Ewachaku in Ezuku Parish in Vurra sub-county and proceeded towards Ajia, but were intercepted at Alikua in Ajia.

Notorious armed robber

According to the chairperson, Nyakuni has twice been arrested with guns, convicted of robbery, and imprisoned for four years.  

During his first arrest and sentence, Nyakuni rented a house in Kuluva with a gun, and the matter was reported to the security officers leading to his arrest for the second time where he served for four years.

One of the police officer with the recovered gun

The chairman recounted a time when Nyakuni stole a gun from the Police in Kuluva and hid it in River Alaa.

Two months after his release, according to the LC1 chairperson, he was found with another gun involved in robbing a motorcycle which led to his demise on Wednesday. The bodies of the deceased were transferred to the Arua Regional Referral Hospital mortuary.

Deputy IGP visit

During a visit to the West Nile region, Deputy Inspector General of Police Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigazi emphasized to the security agencies and the public to ensure they join hands to fight insecurity.

“In Arua, we used to have youth who engaged in crime, but this has been scaled down as compared to incidents where security forces are killing members of the public,” he said.

The tragic incident of the killing of the two armed robbers occurred on Wednesday afternoon when Katsigazi was still meeting the security agencies in the region.

He said he is pleased that the Police and other agencies have managed to contain situations of insecurity considering the two neighbouring countries of South Sudan and DR Congo and the influx of refugees.