Security officers put on alert, ordered to respond to attacks aggressively
On 18th November this month, a Uganda People's Defense Forces sergeant was shot dead and two SMG rifles were robbed by unknown assailants who raided the entry point at Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja.
Police have ordered all territorial commanders to aggressively respond to all forms of violent attacks directed towards police, security personnel and their facilities.
The decision follows relentless attacks and robbing of guns from both police and UPDF personnel.
The latest incident being in Kapeeka where assailants attacked the joint security team on patrol and opened fire on them killing a UPDF soldier.
Speaking at the weekly police briefing in Naguru, Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, highlighted that whereas security and law enforcement officers are trained to protect the public, they are also equipped with knowledge on how to protect themselves.
It’s on this note that Enanga said the leadership of the joint security agencies informs all security personnel to be prepared and ready to respond aggressively to all forms of violence aimed at them.
“We want to inform all security personnel that the leadership of the joint security agencies stands with them and are doing all it takes to prevent such attacks and ambushes on them.
However, there should be no tolerance for shootings, robberies of guns and attacks on security personnel who are very fundamental to public safety and security,” he added.
Enanga further noted that it’s presumed that the attackers happen to have a political or social goal they are aiming at while carrying out these attacks on security forces.
However, he says that investigations are being carried out by the joint security agencies to ascertain the culprits planning to engage themselves in such acts of terror.
“The perpetrators who committed these violent crimes and attempted attacks seemed to be doing so in furtherance of either social or political goals that we are yet to determine but we believe that the expertise of joint security components will happen to be able to bring that out,” he explained.
As police are fighting to curb the attacks by these assailants, it should be noted that on 18th November this month, a Uganda People’s Defense Forces sergeant was shot dead and two SMG rifles were robbed by unknown assailants who raided the entry point at Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja.
The UPDF reported the recovery of the guns and killing of one of the assailants.
