Fresh panic has gripped residents and the business community in Gulu City following a renewed surge in gun-related crimes that have left at least two people dead and six motorcycles stolen within just over three weeks.
Since the beginning of this month, security agencies have registered at least six separate gun-related incidents in Gulu City and neighboring Gulu district, reigniting fears over insecurity.
The latest incident occurred on the night of May 15 in Awach Town Council, where unknown armed assailants shot dead a 24-year-old shop attendant at around 9:30 p.m. before making off with unspecified valuables.
According to preliminary police reports, the attackers, who were dressed in heavy raincoats, fled the scene on a motorcycle shortly after the attack.
The killing reflected another fatal shooting reported days earlier at the LT Energy Fuel Station in Keyi B Cell, Kasubi Ward, in Bardege-Layibi Division, where two armed men shot dead a security guard before stealing his firearm and escaping on a motorcycle.
Witnesses and security sources noted similar tactics in both attacks, with assailants operating at night while concealing their identities.
The repeated pattern of attacks has heightened anxiety among traders, boda boda riders, and residents who fear that armed criminal gangs could once again be regrouping.
George Aligec, the Chairperson of Gulu City Traders Association, told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Monday that many business operators are now living in fear as insecurity continues to escalate in the city.
Aligec said despite repeated assurances from security agencies that the perpetrators would be apprehended, the attacks have continued, leaving many traders frustrated and uncertain about their safety.
Akamba Amiri, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner in charge of Bardege Layibi Division, acknowledged the existence of illegal firearms within the city but said security agencies were actively pursuing the suspects behind the recent attacks.
Amiri revealed that three suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the aggravated robbery of two motorcycles and are currently being detained at Gulu Central Police Station pending further investigations.
According to Amiri, the suspects are linked to a wider criminal network operating between Gulu and Arua City, where stolen motorcycles from the sub-region are allegedly transported and resold through black market channels.
He, however, noted that the suspects behind the fatal shooting of the security guard and the shop attendant are still at large, although security personnel have gathered intelligence that could lead to their arrest and the recovery of the stolen firearms.
“For the shooting incidents, investigations are ongoing. We have intelligence leads, and we are making progress, but enforcement and apprehension are a process,” said Amiri.
Amiri urged residents to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious individuals, especially those suspected of illegally carrying firearms.
He also cautioned boda boda riders, traders, and residents against exposing themselves to unnecessary risks during late hours, especially in isolated areas where some of the robberies have occurred.
“We want people to exercise caution. Avoid risky movements late at night and report suspicious activities immediately. Security patrols have been intensified, but the community must also take responsibility for their own safety,” Amiri added.
The resurgence of gun violence has now threatened to undermine business confidence and nighttime economic activities in the city, which had gradually recovered following months of improved security.
Some boda boda riders who spoke to Uganda Radio Network on condition of anonymity said they have increasingly become suspicious of passengers moving at night, especially those wearing heavy raincoats or carrying bags.
Emmy Ocen, the Chairperson of the Gulu City West Boda Boda Association, said that in the last three weeks, their members have lost six motorcycles to armed thugs, the majority of them in Bardege-Layibi Division, particularly in the Forgod and St. Jude areas.
Ocen said the resurgence of gun-related crimes in the city has caused panic among boda boda riders, most of whom operate at night, and urged security agencies to urgently intervene and guarantee their safety.
According to Ocen, the association has repeatedly sought explanations from security agencies regarding the worsening insecurity, but to date, no clear response has been provided, and no suspects linked to the wave of gun crimes have been publicly identified.
The recent attacks come months after the city experienced relative calm following intensified security operations launched in November last year that led to the arrest of suspected criminal gang leaders operating within Gulu city and Amuru District.
SOURCE: URN
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