K’jong warriors arrested from classrooms
THIRTY-FOUR armed Karimojong warriors disguised as pupils, were on Monday arrested by the UPDF at Kamaturu Primary School in Lorengedwat sub-county, Nakapiripirit district.
By Nathan Etengu
THIRTY-FOUR armed Karimojong warriors disguised as pupils, were on Monday arrested by the UPDF at Kamaturu Primary School in Lorengedwat sub-county, Nakapiripirit district.
The army also recovered 14 guns, army uniforms and gumboots from them.
Two other warriors were found hiding in the toilets, while the third was found in the kitchen of a teacher.
The suspects were released following pleas by their families.
“I am releasing them on condition that you mobilise others to surrender the illegal guns. The UPDF is ready to provide security for your livestock and other property,†the UPDF 403 brigade commander, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Kanyesigye, told the warriors’ families.
“There was nothing I could do. The warriors forced their way into the class and forced the pupils to surrender their uniforms, exercise books and pens,†the headmaster, Michael Longole, explained.
The UPDF 27th battalion commander, Major, Johnson Katongole, said the two armed warriors led him to the school.
“Our mission was to carry out a cordon-andsearch operation in the neighbouring village. However, when we saw the warriors entering the school, we decided to follow them.â€
The school head prefect, who was also arrested, disclosed that the warriors often used the roofs of the school buildings to hide from the UPDF.
“They used some of the uncompleted classroom blocks as their hideout. However, when they saw the soldiers coming, they rushed to our dormitories. They then undressed us and took our uniforms.â€
The army observed that some of the uniforms and guns were picked from a heap of bricks and the holes for planting trees in the school compound.
“We noticed that the classroom was littered with beads often worn by warriors. When we checked one of the corners in the classroom, we found ten guns covered by clothes,†a military intelligence officer said.
THIRTY-FOUR armed Karimojong warriors disguised as pupils, were on Monday arrested by the UPDF at Kamaturu Primary School in Lorengedwat sub-county, Nakapiripirit district.
The army also recovered 14 guns, army uniforms and gumboots from them.
Two other warriors were found hiding in the toilets, while the third was found in the kitchen of a teacher.
The suspects were released following pleas by their families.
“I am releasing them on condition that you mobilise others to surrender the illegal guns. The UPDF is ready to provide security for your livestock and other property,†the UPDF 403 brigade commander, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Kanyesigye, told the warriors’ families.
“There was nothing I could do. The warriors forced their way into the class and forced the pupils to surrender their uniforms, exercise books and pens,†the headmaster, Michael Longole, explained.
The UPDF 27th battalion commander, Major, Johnson Katongole, said the two armed warriors led him to the school.
“Our mission was to carry out a cordon-andsearch operation in the neighbouring village. However, when we saw the warriors entering the school, we decided to follow them.â€
The school head prefect, who was also arrested, disclosed that the warriors often used the roofs of the school buildings to hide from the UPDF.
“They used some of the uncompleted classroom blocks as their hideout. However, when they saw the soldiers coming, they rushed to our dormitories. They then undressed us and took our uniforms.â€
The army observed that some of the uniforms and guns were picked from a heap of bricks and the holes for planting trees in the school compound.
“We noticed that the classroom was littered with beads often worn by warriors. When we checked one of the corners in the classroom, we found ten guns covered by clothes,†a military intelligence officer said.