Emmanuel Adil Anthony, Governor of Central Equatoria State during the 5th Governors Forum in Juba. Credit: Charles Wote/Eye radio

The governor of Central Equatoria State says deployment of armed forces is ongoing in locations where illegal demarcation is being carried out around Juba.

The move, Emmanuel Adil Anthony says is to condense on land related conflicts in areas he describes as hotspot particularly, in Garbo village east of the capital.

He reiterates commitment to combat the illegal allotment of the land with no fear of compromise.

Adil stated that a number of soldiers have already been deployed in areas where grabbers have started demarcating.

The deployment, he says will be extended to areas such as Kor-Wolyang, Rajaf, Kemiru, Gumbo, Tokiman, Loggo East and West, Gorom, and Somba where illegal land allotment has been rampant.

After a meeting with Vice-president Dr. James Wani Igga on Thursday, Adil cautioned those involved in the unlawful land allocation allotment to desist with immediate effect.

He warns that punitive measures will be taken against individuals who will not adhere to the state land laws.

“We are putting all measures, whoever is demarcating land illegally will face the full force of the law. We have standby force and they will be arrested”, Adil warns.

“We are going to deploy in all the areas and this sound as a warning to all the areas surrounding of Juba County that land  demarcation that are illegal should be stop”, he reiterated.

In December last year, the governor’s bodyguards clashed with informal settlers during an assessment tour in the Garbo area.

As result, three people including a soldier were reportedly killed during the confrontation.

There have been conflicts related to land grabbing and unlawful allotment of land in the capital Juba and other areas around Central Equatoria State.

Right groups say land-grabbing remains a security threat committed by senior army and national security generals in South Sudan.