By Alexander Mackey Okori
The increasing incidents of armed Karamojong thieves bushwhacking people at night have sparked fear among the residents and leaders in Kaabong district, prompting calls for urgent security intervention.
The thugs reportedly stage illegal roadblocks on the roads at night and putting unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians on gun point before robbing them off their cash, merchandise, and other belongings.
Meri Jino, the LCV chairperson of Kaabong told this website that the locals have for the past one month been reporting separate incidents of periodic attacks on the road by the armed thugs.
One of the recent incidents is that where one individual only identified as Lopus a resident of Kamion sub-county, was waylaid by an unidentified group of thugs along Kalapata-Kamion road on Monday, October 6, 2025.
Lopus according to Meri, was on his way home from Kaabong town council when he encountered the armed gangs who abducted him and demanded for a ransom.
“Lopus was returning from Kaabong town council when he reached the border between Kalapata and Kamion. He was waylaid by an armed gang who demanded money from him. When he couldn’t produce the money, they threatened to kill him”, explained Meri.
He added that the thugs instructed Lopus to call his family to send the money and he then called the GISO of Kamion sub-county, who relayed the information to the relatives, including the Member of Parliament for Ik County, Hillary Lokwang.
According to Meri, Lopus was eventually released after his family and Ik County Member of Parliament, Hillary Lokwang, paid a ransom of Shs500,000.
Meri condemned the act of armed criminals waylaying people on the road at night, demanding for a ransom, stating that “it is a very dangerous trend that has instilled fear among both the locals and the leaders”.
However, Mike Longole, the Mt. Moroto regional police spokesperson, stated that security agencies are actively investigating the issue, and the criminal racket responsible for these waylaying people on the roads will be brought to justice.
“We are on the ground investigating the matter, and I’m confident that we shall apprehend these people,” Longole told this website when asked to comment on the worrisome trend of highway robberies.
Longole attributed the rising spate of robberies on the roads to poverty and underscored the need to sensitise the public on the issue of robberies so that they take precaution.
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