Security personnel have imposed a four-day total curfew in parts of the disputed Apaa region following fresh tribal clashes that have claimed two lives and left two others injured in separate incidents.
The violence reignited late last month after a 50-year-old man, only identified as Mwesigwa, was murdered by unknown assailants on February 27 in Offu village, Ukusijoni sub-county, Adjumani district.
The most recent incident occurred on Thursday, when unknown armed attackers killed a local farmer, Mohamad Adui, in what is suspected to be a revenge attack. Speaking at a press briefing in Gulu City on Thursday, Maj Gen Felix Busizoori, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, announced the imposition of a total curfew in Offu and Acholi Ber villages, two hotspots he said are being used as corridors by residents from both the Acholi and Madi communities to carry out retaliatory attacks.
“Imposing a curfew will limit movement and disrupt the ability to mobilize for further attacks,” said Gen Busizoori.
The curfew is one of several resolutions made during an emergency security meeting between Gen Busizoori, regional police commanders from West Acholi and North Madi, and the Adjumani resident district commissioner (RDC).
Other resolutions include apprehending identified ringleaders fueling the violence, cracking down on illegal land sales, especially of government land, banning charcoal burning in the affected areas.
Gen Busizoori also issued a stern warning to politicians from Amuru and Adjumani districts, accusing them of interfering with security operations.
“We appeal to politicians to stop pressuring security forces to release arrested suspects. Those who do so risk being arrested themselves,” he warned.
Adjumani RDC Peter Taban Data attributed the ongoing conflict to illegal land transactions involving Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and National Forestry Authority (NFA) land. He said these lands are being illegally sold to non-natives at prices as low as Shs 300,000 per acre, attracting opportunistic settlers who contribute to ongoing tensions.
Taban also speculated that the recent attacks may have been triggered by suspicions related to a sensitization campaign by Habitat for Humanity, an organization helping locals obtain free land titles.
The NGO was scheduled to conduct an outreach event in Ukusijoni sub-county, where the violence erupted. Aswa West regional police commander Samuel Asimwe said a joint coordination effort involving the police, army, and local authorities is underway to ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice.
According to police, two injured persons from the latest attack are currently being treated at Adjumani Hospital. Local leaders in Acholi Ber parish report that more than 200 people have been displaced by the violence as of March 26. Many are now camping at trading centers, afraid to return to their homes.
Displaced persons are reportedly from the villages of Alok Ki Raa, Tee Yaa, and Acholi Ber. Ferdinand Ojera, secretary to the traditional leader in Acholi Ber, accused the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) of siding with perpetrators instead of arresting them.
“The Acholi community is relying on the UPDF for protection. But instead, we see bias,” Ojera claimed.
However, security officials denied reports of displacement, stating that those who fled were illegal land grabbers, not victims of targeted attacks. Violence in Apaa on the boundary between Amuru and Adjumani districts dates back to 2012, when the Uganda Wildlife Authority forcefully evicted locals, claiming the land was part of the East Madi Wildlife Reserve.
Since then, over 20 people have been killed, dozens injured, and hundreds displaced in ethnic and land-related confrontations between the Acholi and Madi communities.