Armed UPDF officers raid Gulu’s Boma ground to steal district logs

Gulu-On 31, July, 2018, unidentified, armed Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces [UPDF] soldiers entered Boma ground where illegal logs impounded by Gulu district where being kept.

Honorable Obol Justin aka Simpleman who’s the chairperson production, marketing and natural resources told TND News Uganda in an interview on Tuesday that about ‘eight soldiers’ were sighted, with only two on army uniforms.

Mr Obol, who also doubles as the Laroo division LC5 councilor says the army men attempted to forcefully steal the logs. He could not reveal if the suspected thieves had gone with a lorry.

These logs were to be auctioned on Wednesday but the business flopped over high price.

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According to Obol, those army men he couldn’t mention their names, have been engaged in illegal logging and connivance with some local leaders to allow free exit from Acholi sub-region.

“The district only deployed three police officers to safeguards the logs,” Obol added.

However, Telesphor Turyamumanya, the 4^th Division Army spokesperson in an interview on phone Tuesday confirmed the incident.

“The matter is subject for investigation. But those officers are not from the 4^th Division,” Turyamumanya says.