Zombo police intercept over 100 youths being ferried without documentation
As of press time, the youths were still at Paidha Police Station.
Zombo: Police in Zombo District have intercepted a group of over 100 youths, all under the age of 16, being transported to Pakwach District for a church conference without proper documentation.
The group was intercepted in Paidha Town on the afternoon of December 22.
The youths, hailing from Padea Town Council, Jangokoro, and Abanga Sub-counties, are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with its main headquarters located in Padea.
However, the church leaders organizing the transportation failed to provide any consent letters from the children’s parents or clearance from local authorities, raising concerns of potential child trafficking.
Festus Ayikobua, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Zombo, likened the situation to child trafficking, noting that the organizers had no parental consent or security clearance for the children.
Melki Onyutha Orwothuwun, the LCIII Chairperson of Padea Town Council, criticized the group for not involving local leaders in their plans and urged that they seek the guidance of community leaders for future engagements.
Hassan Ringtho, the Speaker of Zombo District Council, placed the blame on the parents for being negligent, highlighting the fact that the group had no responsible adults to look after the children in case of an emergency.
Plans are underway to reunite the children with their families. Meanwhile, the Padea LCIII Chairperson called for improved collaboration with church leaders to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In light of ongoing insecurity along the eastern border of DR Congo, Zombo District security has increased surveillance. SP Collins Asea, the West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating, “Over 100 kids intercepted at Paidha Police Station en route to Pakwach without any documentation from their respective parents and local leaders. More details will follow.”
As of press time, the youths were still at Paidha Police Station.
This incident mirrors a similar case in 2022, when Paidha Police intercepted a truck carrying over 10 youths from Padea Town Council, who were being taken to the Acholi Sub-region to work on a farm owned by a prominent businessman.
The government of Uganda has been intensifying its operations to combat human trafficking. In 2023, reported trafficking cases dropped to 1,006, a 16.6% decrease compared to 1,200 cases in 2022, indicating a positive trend in the fight against trafficking in persons.
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