More than 100 firearms have been voluntarily handed over by armed youth in Mankien Payam of Mayom County, Unity State.
This was after a grassroot driven disarmament campaign aimed at curbing inter-communal violence and restoring lasting peace in the area.
The initiative follows a high-level peace conference convened in July under the directives of Unity State Governor Riek Bim Top, where local leaders, youth representatives, and traditional chiefs came together to tackle the alarming proliferation of illegal weapons among youth groups.
Speaking to the Nile Witness on Friday, Gatwech Biphal, Unity State’s Information Minister, confirmed the development.
He said the disarmament process has so far been peaceful, with no resistance encountered from the youth during the process.
“Sequent to the recent peace conference that resolved on peaceful disarmament, the Payam administrators, traditional chiefs, and other influential groups of the community committed to the resolutions of the conference. This has resulted in a collection of at least 100-plus firearms in two weeks’ time,” Biphal stated.
Biphal noted that Governor Bim personally attended the handover ceremony on Thursday in Mankien, alongside local chiefs and administrative officials, where he commended the commitment shown by the communities.
“Local authorities entrusted with the commitment of spearheading this disarmament effort have raised their concern, expressing that the rainy season keeping the communities afar is affecting the process,” he added, noting the challenges posed by ongoing rains and impassable terrain.
Despite these drawbacks, Biphal revealed that the campaign will continue across Mayom in the coming weeks.
Chiefs and local leaders have reiterated their full commitment to achieving complete disarmament, in line with the resolutions passed at last month’s peace conference.
The handover of the firearms reflects a major milestone in efforts to reduce armed violence and build community trust in Unity State.
Local leaders remain optimistic that continued collaboration between government and grassroots actors will pave the way for sustainable peace across the county.