Cattle theft on the rise in Aweil East County

By Hou Akot Hou

Incidents of cattle theft are reportedly on the rise in Aweil East County of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, raising fears of insecurity.

This was revealed on Tuesday by Mangar Mou Anyar, the youth leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement party in the State.

“Some people take cows of the right owners and rush to auction them in the market. They don’t provide documents to the buyer for purpose of accountability when a problem arises,” he told Juba Echo in Madhol payam during the welcoming ceremony for SPLM officials who attended the endorsement President Salva Kiir recently in Wau town.

Mangar said the current economic hardship has forced many people to indulge in acts of cattle theft to survive.

He appealed to the Aweil East County authorities to put measures in place as tensions are likely to rise with the neighboring counties of Gogrial, Twic and Aweil South where cattle theft is predominant.

The commissioner for Aweil East County, Kharbino Thiep Tong said he was aware of rising cases of cattle theft in the State.

“An old woman from Aweil South County has a case with an individual from Aweil East County after she learnt of her cow being sold in Aweil East County. We plan to have a meeting with Aweil South County officials to address cattle theft,” Tong said.