South Sudan gunmen free Acholi premier

After three days in the hands of South Sudan armed group, Acholi Cultural Institution premier Ambrose Olaa and eight others regained their freedom on Thursday.Mr Olaa and colleagues were abducted on Tuesday in South Sudan’s Tumbura town in Gbudwe State close to the country’s western border with DR Congo and the Central African Republic.

Their release follows intervention of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and World Vision team, who took the lead in negotiating with the armed gang. Mr Olaa had been undertaking consulting work on peace building with World Vision International in the-war torn youngest African nation since March last year.Acholi Cultural Institution deputy premier Emmanuel Ochora Lagedo confirmed the development to Sunday Monitor in a telephone interview on Friday.

He said Mr Olaa and others abductees were freed on Thursday after a peaceful negotiation.“We are confirming that Mr Olaa and eight of his colleagues have been released from captivity and are safe,” Mr Lagedo said.But Mr Lagedo couldn’t disclose details of Mr Olaa’s whereabouts, saying it will be communicated later.“We shall give more details on his whereabouts at a later time, we call for clam,” Mr Lagedo told Sunday Monitor.Retired Bishop of Kitgum Dioceses, also a member of Acholi Religious Leader’s Peace Initiative (ARLPI), Macleord Baker Ochola, lauded the parties that saw the release of the abducted persons.“Thanks be to God that all the abducted have been set free without any harm. We pray that the rebels embrace peace and the war comes to an end,” he said in an interview on Friday.

Still stranded

The UPDF 4th Division spokesperson, Maj Telesphor Turyamumanya, said: “Information we have is that those released are still in some jungle and on their own tracing for a convenient place where they can be picked for transportation,” he said.“We are in touch with the agencies, once they [Mr Olaa and team] have been received, we shall let you know.”Security officials have since failed to disclose the identity of the armed gang behind abduction of the group.

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