Gen Akol Ayii, the Director of South Sudan Customs Services addressing the press in Juba - credit | Eye Radio | July 23, 2021

The Director of South Sudan Customs Services has ordered for immediate removal of all illegal checkpoints and roadblocks across the country including Nesitu to ease the movement of goods and services.

This comes after commercial truck drivers from the East African region staged a two-week protest that ended yesterday.

They demanded removal of all illegal checkpoints and roadblocks and end of harassment and extortion by security personnel along Juba-Nimule highway.

Akol Ayii Madut acknowledged that illegal checkpoints had been indeed hindering movement of people and goods.

“We don’t want any road block from Nimule to Wau. From Nimule, you proceed directly to where you are going or where the goods are destined to,” Gen. Akol told Eye Radio on Tuesday from the border town of Nimule.

“If you are going to Wau, Bor town, Juba or any part of the country, you need to proceed without any disturbance. There is a team that has been set up to escort the trucks already.”

“There is no any checking of any truck on the road, we are not leaving any truck to go alone according to our resolution. Right now there is already a national security general in Nesitu to stay there.”

Gen. Akol added that the newly deployed forces along the Nimule Juba highway are warned against extorting money from travelers, especially traders.