Prison boss Byabashaija puts officers on high alert following attacks on security personnel

The Director General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija has officers on alert following the recent spate of attacks on security personnel by unknown assailants for guns.

In three separate incidents two police facilities and a UPDF mini checkpoint were attacked by unknown gunmen killing three officers and taking away with them four guns.

The latest was in Jinja where a UPDF officer at the rank of sergeant was attacked and killed at a mini-checkpoint towards Gaddafi barracks and two guns including one from his colleague who had stepped away to nearby shops were taken.

In a statement issued on Monday, Dr.Byabashaija said their staffs have been put on high alert following the attacks.

“The Commissioner General notes that there is steady increase of attacks on security personnel leading to loss of live and theft of guns.  Consequently, all staff must be on alert and the safety and security of guns must be taken as top priority,” Dr.Byabashaija said in the message.

According to the security alert, security at the main prison at Luzira and other prisons upcountry should be tightened as well as  security for prisoners to and from court, hospital and for labour.

Dr.Byabashaija says officers in charge of prisons should never deploy lone or single officers for any duties whereas they should also conduct night and day barracks and prison patrols.

The also directs that searches for all those leaving and leaving the prison should be thoroughly checked and to this, prisons staff must not report for duty with phones , for they distract attention and interfere with the level of alertness.

The Commissioner General says the same directives should be applied during the World Cup period as many prisoners tend to escape as warders and wardresses seems to watch the games.

Background

The alert comes on the backdrop of attacks on security personnel by unknown assailants who killed officers and stole guns.

Earlier this month,  armed assailants attacked Busiika Police station in Luweero district in an incident that happened at around 7pm.

Here, the armed assailants who were numbering between six and seven or thereabout approached Busiika town and ordered locals to close their shops.

These later emerged from three different sides, two in front and one from behind, were armed with a pistol and guns and shot at police officers at the station.

Two officers were killed on the spot whereas a civilian who had come to report a case and another police officer were injured.

Last week, in a properly planned mission, assailants attacked a mini-checkpoint, one kilometer away from the main checkpoint to UPDF Gaddafi barracks in Jinja.

The assailants who seem to have been monitoring the activities at the mini-checkpoint struck and killed Sgt Eyamu Simon Peter, aged 45 who had been left alone with two guns after his colleague had gone to nearby shops to buy something at around 9pm.

They killed Eyamu and went away with the two gun.

Two people, including the UPDF officer who had gone for some errands away from the checkpoint have been arrested to aid in investigations.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2022/11/18/how-gunmen-targeted-updf-checkpoint-to-rob-guns-kill-soldier-in-jinja/