Security claims suspected ADF rebels were training children in gun handling

Arafat Nzito

Joint security agencies have revealed that suspected rebels belonging to Allied Democratic Forces were using a base in Luweero district as a training centre for young children in acts of terrorism.

This comes after a joint security operation conducted on June 16 led to the arrest of three suspected ADF terrorists in Kikuba Jinja Village in Kasana early this week.

According to security, residents of the village have for long been suspicious of three men led by a one Umar Ajobe over their behaviour to the extent they refused their family members to associate with other villages mates.

Locals said that Ajobe's household doesn’t go to the mosque or any other place in the vicinity and neither do his children go to school.

UPDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Felix Kulaigye confirmed that Ajobe is suspected to be an ADF ally who owns houses along Bombo Road, Luweero Town Council where he has been living with his wife and eight (8) children. He operates a welding station in front of his home.

It is also claimed that he has been training his young children in acts of terrorism as confirmed from his seven year-old son who told the security personnel and the press at the premises that he could reassemble a riffle.

"He is believed to be under the leadership of Akiba Kabanda, a suspect of the November twin bombs that went off in Kampala City," Kulayigye revealed.

The LC III councillor of the area, Lawrence Mwesigye said he was astonished to discover that there were subversive activities in his area.

Kulayigye urged the local leaders of the area present at the scene to always be vigilant and endeavour to know their residents, their families and their areas of origin.

Following last year’s twin bombing in Kampala, security agencies revealed that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), had been clandestinely recruiting children to aid their operations and vowed to disrupt them.

Since then, security has been actively monitoring all social places which were reportedly acting as domains for recruitment and as collection centres for children who are introduced to ideological messages and beliefs.

Police revealed that ADF sleeper cells have been recruiting from the central Uganda districts of Wakiso, Mukono, Kayunga, Masaka and those along the western border with Democratic Republic of Congo like Kasese, Bundibugyo and Ntoroko.

In Luweero, the security task force discovered a 13 feet deep pit inside one of the houses which was said to be an assembly point of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and roadside bombs.

Inside the pit at Ajobe's home, a number of items were recovered such as mortars, transformers, gun powders, gun cleaners, silencer gun and Vehicle Borne Explosives among others.

The suspects were taken to Crime Intelligence Directorate in Bukoto where they are still undergoing interrogation.