Armed Robbers Raid Wholesale Shop in Kitgum, Escape with Shs10 Million

Armed robbers raided a wholesale shop in Omiya Anyima Sub-county, Kitgum District, on Tuesday night and escaped with more than Shs10 million in cash, prompting a security crackdown in the area. The robbery occurred at around 8:00 p.m. in Omiya Anyima Central Village, Panyum Parish, according to district authorities.

Geoffrey Oguti, the assistant Kitgum Resident District Commissioner, who was among the team at the scene, said the attackers, who were four in number, broke into the shop before making away with the money. Following reports of the robbery, a joint deployment of personnel from the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) was dispatched to the area to prevent further criminal activity and pursue the suspects.

Oguti said preliminary investigations, including a review of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage, revealed that the gang was armed and well-coordinated. According to Oguti, one of the suspects was carrying an AK-47 rifle while another was armed with a panga. “The footage shows four individuals involved in the robbery. One was carrying an AK-47, and another had a panga. They managed to steal over Shs10 million before fleeing,” Oguti said.

Oguti appealed to residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects. “We urge the community to be alert and report any suspicious individuals or activities to the police. Public cooperation is critical in helping security agencies track down the criminals,” he said.

The robbery comes amid growing concerns over armed criminal activity in parts of northern Uganda, with security agencies intensifying surveillance and intelligence operations to curb the trend. Joe Oloya, the police spokesperson for Aswa East River region, told URN that the report was still brief and would be shared when complete-URN.

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