Peter Ngwojo, the Minister of Information of Upper Nile State - courtesy

The Government of Upper Nile State has condemned the looting of World Food Programme boats in Baliet County, an incident that has forced the suspension of humanitarian operations in the area.

At least 12 WFP boats carrying humanitarian supplies to eastern counties were looted on January 30, leading the agency to halt its river operations in Baliet County.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Friday, the Upper Nile State Minister of Information, Peter Ngwojo, described the incident as unfortunate and said it was allegedly carried out by armed youths from Baliet County.

Ngwojo said the looted food items were later distributed to different areas by civilians, a situation he said the state government strongly condemns.

He warned that the incident has had serious consequences for vulnerable communities, noting that the suspension of WFP operations has affected people in urgent need of food assistance.

“We condemn this incident as the government of Upper Nile State, and we assure the public that it will not happen again. The government is working closely with local communities to prevent a repeat of such acts.

“The looting forced the World Food Programme to suspend its operations in the area, which is very unfortunate for the vulnerable people who depend on this assistance,” he said.

The minister said the state government has formed an investigation committee to probe the incident and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

“From day one, the government of Upper Nile State formed a committee to investigate the incident. The committee is still working and is made up of the county commissioner, members of the state security committee, and security organs. We are still investigating the case, and anyone found guilty will be brought to book and punished. This is not acceptable, and we will continue the investigation,” he said.