Church Destroyed by Fire in Yei’s Logobero Area

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) -A church in the Logobero area of Yei Town was destroyed by a fire on Thursday evening, in an incident residents suspect may have been caused by an unknown individual. The incident has raised concerns among the local community about safety and security.

Speaking to Access Radio on Friday, a church member, Lilias Kiden, said they only discovered the destruction in the morning.

“We didn’t know the church had burned. We came in the morning and found it destroyed. We don’t know who did this, but God knows. We will continue to pray here today and on Sunday,” she said.

Another resident, Juma Francis, also known as “Commissioner,” said the fire broke out at around 9:15 p.m. while most people were asleep.

“The fire started at about 9:15 at night when people were sleeping. A neighbor alerted me that the church was on fire. I ran there and found it burning. We tried to put it out, but it was not possible until the situation worsened and the church was completely destroyed,” he said.

He added that despite efforts to alert the community by beating drums, residents were unable to contain the blaze.

“It is very painful because this is a community church that supports society. This incident has left everyone in deep sorrow,” he added.

Kenneth Bagari, the acting secretary to the headman, described the incident as a criminal act and called for government intervention.

“This is a criminal act beyond our control. We are calling on the government to come to our rescue because this is a public place for everybody. We need emergency support from the authorities of Yei River County,” he said.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire, and investigations are expected to begin.