Unruly gangs plague residents of Jondoru

Author: Baria Johnson | Published: 29 minutes ago

The weapons obtained by the gang range from machetes to metal and wooden sticks with nails. (Photo: SSNPS)

Residents of the Jondoru area reported that machete-wielding gangs, known as “niggers,” stormed the area on Sunday, terrorizing them and robbing them of valuables.

According to the suburban community, the gangs attacked civilians and businesses at 7:30 p.m., vandalizing shops and stealing money.

In an interview with Eye Radio, some local residents expressed their displeasure that the incidents caused fear and led to the closure of shops.

“They came and started chasing people, so we went into the store and closed the door. From there they started destroying the stuff and took all the money left,” said a businesswoman who did not want to give her name.

She called on the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) to patrol the area and combat gang-related crimes, “because it is the poor mothers who are suffering.”

A female shop owner said she was sitting at her workplace with two other colleagues on Sunday when the gangs confronted them and tried to attack them.

“These guys attacked us abruptly. One of us tried to escape with his laptop, but they hijacked him, took a machete and wanted to cut off his head, then he walked and they took the laptop. Nobody could do anything because they really scared people.”

“While we were sitting at the tea shop, two boys were walking around. The gangs stopped them and the two boys ran away,” said a tea seller.

“They came to us at the tea shop and wanted to attack a customer who was sitting there, but the man ran inside and so they broke one of the chairs at the tea shop.”

Another young man, who owns a car wash, said the criminals injured a friend of his and robbed him of his phone while he was drinking tea.

Police have not yet commented on the incident.

Hundreds of unemployed youths are said to have formed criminal gangs in Juba and other major cities in the country, committing violence, burglaries and disrupting public peace and security.

In November 2023, the Inspector General of Police, General Atem Marol, ordered a nationwide crackdown on criminal gangs, leading to the arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of people, mainly in the capital, Juba.