Tension has risen in Maruko Payam of Ibba County in Western Equatoria State after attacks from unknown gunmen suspected to be poachers.
So far it has led to displacement of more than 80 residents, most of them women, children, and elderly people.
According to Ibba County Commissioner Wilson Tetela Hassan, the situation has left security forces playing “a frustrating cat-and-mouse game” with the unidentified fighters.
“Whenever we deploy soldiers, the attackers vanish. As soon as the soldiers leave, they reappear,”Hassan told The Nile Witness.
He said that this cycle has made it almost impossible for people to feel safe in their homes.
The displaced families have now moved closer to Ibba Town, where they are struggling to access food, clean water, and shelter. Hassan said the county lacks the vehicles and resources needed to station security forces in Maruko permanently.
Resident Joseph Kumbogbia described a community living in constant fear.
“They come in looking for food and supplies, disappear for days, and then return,” he said. “We cannot live like this. We need security forces here for good so we can go back home.” He added
Maruko Payam Chief Joseph Kumba, who met with the commissioner and local youth leaders over the weekend, warned that conditions are deteriorating rapidly.
“Families are sleeping in the open during heavy rains. This is more than a security issue it’s now a humanitarian crisis,” Kumba said.
“If nothing changes, the entire payam could soon be empty.”
Former Deputy Governor Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa earlier this week before his removal by the president suggested the armed presence may be tied to the area’s wildlife.
“Maruko is rich in natural resources, including elephants,” Rimbasa noted.
“We suspect these individuals are involved in illegal poaching and ivory trafficking. I strongly warn anyone engaged in such activities to stop immediately or face the law.”
According to Western Equatoria State Police Commissioner Phillip Madut Tong an investigation is underway and that long-term measures will be considered to restore peace in the area.
For now, the people of Maruko Payam remain displaced, their homes abandoned, and their nights unsettled waiting for the day when the sound of footsteps in the dark no longer means danger is near.
