Central Equatoria State Leaders Vow to End Cattle-Related Insecurity

(JUBA COUNTY) — Central Equatoria State leaders have intensified calls for peace and stability, vowing stronger action against cattle raiders blamed for ongoing violence, theft, and insecurity in the area.

The State Security Advisor, Angelo Daya, and Terekeka County Commissioner Dr. Emmanuel Loku Lodu have spent the past three days in Rokon holding meetings with local leaders, security personnel, and community members as part of efforts to address rising insecurity linked to armed cattle herders particularly from the Mundari Community involved in cattle raids, theft, and abductions.

Speaking during one of the meetings, Security Advisor Angelo Daya said the government was determined to restore law and order and ensure that no individual or group operates above the authority of the state.

“We need rest and peace in South Sudan. No one is above the government,” Daya said. “The duty of the government is to protect its people and their properties. Therefore, Jelle Lo Lobuyu and his team must be stopped. Enough is enough. Our nation should not suffer because of a few criminals as if the government is absent.”

His remarks come amid growing concern over recurring cattle-related violence in parts of Central Equatoria and neighboring states, where communities have repeatedly reported cases of cattle theft, child abductions, ambushes, and killings.

Terekeka County Commissioner Dr. Emmanuel Loku Lodu also strongly condemned the actions of the suspected criminals, saying the activities of a few individuals should not define the image of the wider Mundari community.

“I want to remove the shame brought upon Terekeka County because of the theft and wrongdoing of Jelle Lo Lobuyu and his group,” Loku said. “I will work day and night to end this.”

The commissioner urged community members to reject violence and work together to restore peace, warning that continued insecurity was undermining development and damaging the reputation of the county.

“We need peace, security, and development,” he said. “Other communities in South Sudan have progressed, but where are we? We are just chasing cattle and losing lives carelessly.”

Dr. Loku said the Mundari people have historically been known as peaceful and respectful communities, but warned that the actions of a small criminal group were tarnishing that identity.

“Since the time of our ancestors, we were known as loving and God-fearing people who respected dignity,” he said. “Today, a small group has brought us down because of personal interests. We reject and condemn this, and we must restore the good image of the Mundari community.”

The ongoing security engagement in Rokon follows recent efforts by state authorities to implement resolutions reached during the Rokon Peace Conference.

The conference called for stronger cooperation between communities and security forces to address cattle raiding, revenge attacks, and abductions affecting border communities.