Three aid workers abducted in Yei – police official

Police in Yei River County say three aid workers have been abducted by unidentified gunmen along the Yei-Maridi road.

Major General Yoasa Lujang Kamba, the county’s Chief Inspector of Police, says the victims work for an international organisation based in Yei and were travelling to Minyori Boma to collect agricultural data and conduct community sensitisation.

He says the workers were abducted at 9:00 a.m. on Monday when six armed men stopped their vehicle in the four-mile area.

According to General Lujang, the gunmen took the driver and two data collectors, leaving the vehicle running on the road.

“Yesterday, at around 9 a.m., when they reached the four-mile area, a group of armed men appeared and stopped the vehicle. They took the driver and the two data collectors, leaving the vehicle running on the road. It seems they were in a hurry, possibly fearing that other people might arrive,” he explained.

“Later, some church members travelling from Tore to Yei found the vehicle abandoned and reported the incident to counterintelligence.”

The police chief says counterintelligence personnel later recovered the vehicle and handed it over to the organisation.

He says the three workers are believed to have been taken towards Minyori Boma, about 11 miles from Yei, but their whereabouts remain unknown.

General Lujang says the suspected kidnappers later contacted the victims’ organisation through the driver and demanded 8,000 US dollars for the release of the three workers.

“Up to now, the whereabouts of the three abducted people remain unknown. About two hours later, I received a phone number that the kidnappers had given to the driver to contact their organisation. They demanded 8,000 U.S. dollars for the release of the three workers,” he said.

The police chief says he also tried calling the number but the suspected kidnappers switched off their phone after he identified himself.

“I tried calling the number and introduced myself as the sub-chief of Minyori Boma. I wanted to know the whereabouts of the abducted workers, but they switched off their phoneent,” he stated.

General Lujang says security personnel are continuing efforts to locate the three workers and establish contact with the suspected kidnappers.

He adds that similar incidents have been reported along the Yei-Maridi road, including areas around six miles from Kaya.