32 guns seized in Teso
Oct 08, 2008
A total of 32 rifles, a pistol and 17 grenades have been recovered in an operation in Teso region in the last four months. UPDF 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, said the guns were either seized from criminals or surrendered voluntarily.
By Salume Among
A total of 32 rifles, a pistol and 17 grenades have been recovered in an operation in Teso region in the last four months. UPDF 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, said the guns were either seized from criminals or surrendered voluntarily.
One weapon, he said, was recovered from the bush where it was abandoned by unknown people. Obbo said 23 guns were recovered from Bukedea, Soroti and Kumi district and nine from Amuria and Katakwi districts.
The operation code-named Restore Hope was jointly carried out by the Police and the army. Speaking on telephone on Tuesday, Obbo called upon all the people in possession of illegal guns in Teso to hand them over voluntarily or be forced to do so.
“If you hand in the gun voluntarily you will be awarded a certificate,†Obbo said. The guns, he said, were becoming a great problem because they are been used to kill the innocent lately.
Obbo said the number of illegal guns in Karamoja had reduced but the problem was instead shifting to Teso region. As a result, he said, the army was carrying out search operations to ensure the security of people and their property.
The outgoing mid-eastern regional Police commander, John Akol Ejobu, who had commanded the operation, urged the communities to cooperate with the security organs to bring security and peace to the region.
The sector commander in Soroti, Kumi and Bukedea, Maj. Alfred Apio and his counterpart for Katakwi, Amuria and Kaberamaido districts, Maj. Michael Ocuka, said they have got a list of people suspected to be in possession of illegal guns in Teso.
It was a matter of time, they warned, before the army moved against them.
A total of 32 rifles, a pistol and 17 grenades have been recovered in an operation in Teso region in the last four months. UPDF 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, said the guns were either seized from criminals or surrendered voluntarily.
One weapon, he said, was recovered from the bush where it was abandoned by unknown people. Obbo said 23 guns were recovered from Bukedea, Soroti and Kumi district and nine from Amuria and Katakwi districts.
The operation code-named Restore Hope was jointly carried out by the Police and the army. Speaking on telephone on Tuesday, Obbo called upon all the people in possession of illegal guns in Teso to hand them over voluntarily or be forced to do so.
“If you hand in the gun voluntarily you will be awarded a certificate,†Obbo said. The guns, he said, were becoming a great problem because they are been used to kill the innocent lately.
Obbo said the number of illegal guns in Karamoja had reduced but the problem was instead shifting to Teso region. As a result, he said, the army was carrying out search operations to ensure the security of people and their property.
The outgoing mid-eastern regional Police commander, John Akol Ejobu, who had commanded the operation, urged the communities to cooperate with the security organs to bring security and peace to the region.
The sector commander in Soroti, Kumi and Bukedea, Maj. Alfred Apio and his counterpart for Katakwi, Amuria and Kaberamaido districts, Maj. Michael Ocuka, said they have got a list of people suspected to be in possession of illegal guns in Teso.
It was a matter of time, they warned, before the army moved against them.