Museveni welcomes 28 rebels home
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday welcomed LRA field commander Capt. Charles Abola, who surrendered with 28 fighters in Lamogi sub-county, Kilak county in Gulu district.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday welcomed LRA field commander Capt. Charles Abola, who surrendered with 28 fighters in Lamogi sub-county, Kilak county in Gulu district, reports Dennis Ojwee and Justin Moro.
Capt. Abola, wearing brand-new UPDF pips for a Captain, said he surrendered with nine sub-machine guns.
The rebels were welcomed on Museveni’s behalf by the northern chief Intelligence Officer, Lt. Col. Charles Otema-Awany, at a formal welcome at the Acholi Inn Hotel yesterday.
“You can see how lucky you and your fighters are,†Otema told Abola.
“The President told me that he welcomes you with all your 28 fighters back home, Otema said.
“You are at home and in safe hands,†Otema-Awany quoted Museveni as saying.
Museveni, a UPDF General, later called Radio Mega 102 FM and congratulated Abola for coming out of the bush.
The welcome ceremony was attended by Lt. Col. John Charles Anywar, the UPDF 4th Division operations and training officer. He represented 4th Division chief Col. Nathan Mugisha.
Present also were former rebel commanders Maj. Ocan Benson, second lieutenant Albino Atuku, sergeants Opobo and Solomon Ocaya, Charles Bamule, Pte Samuel abonga, Benard Okello, Capt. Moses Lubanga-Ngeyo, and Maj. Philip Okello.
Abola, 20, was abducted in Primary Two at Oticci Primary School in Lamogi in Gulu. He said he surrendered so as to save the Acholi still in the bush.
He said, “I saw that the war being fought by Joseph Kony will not yield any fruit.
Abola appealed to all rebel commanders in the bush to come out or risk being killed by the UPDF. He appealed to his fighters in the bush whom he estimated at 40 to also surrender.
Ends
Capt. Abola, wearing brand-new UPDF pips for a Captain, said he surrendered with nine sub-machine guns.
The rebels were welcomed on Museveni’s behalf by the northern chief Intelligence Officer, Lt. Col. Charles Otema-Awany, at a formal welcome at the Acholi Inn Hotel yesterday.
“You can see how lucky you and your fighters are,†Otema told Abola.
“The President told me that he welcomes you with all your 28 fighters back home, Otema said.
“You are at home and in safe hands,†Otema-Awany quoted Museveni as saying.
Museveni, a UPDF General, later called Radio Mega 102 FM and congratulated Abola for coming out of the bush.
The welcome ceremony was attended by Lt. Col. John Charles Anywar, the UPDF 4th Division operations and training officer. He represented 4th Division chief Col. Nathan Mugisha.
Present also were former rebel commanders Maj. Ocan Benson, second lieutenant Albino Atuku, sergeants Opobo and Solomon Ocaya, Charles Bamule, Pte Samuel abonga, Benard Okello, Capt. Moses Lubanga-Ngeyo, and Maj. Philip Okello.
Abola, 20, was abducted in Primary Two at Oticci Primary School in Lamogi in Gulu. He said he surrendered so as to save the Acholi still in the bush.
He said, “I saw that the war being fought by Joseph Kony will not yield any fruit.
Abola appealed to all rebel commanders in the bush to come out or risk being killed by the UPDF. He appealed to his fighters in the bush whom he estimated at 40 to also surrender.
Ends