FEATURE: AGWEE RESIDENTS RAISE ALARM OVER RISING INSECURITY

Deputy RCC of Laroo Pece Peter Banya addressing the community during a community baraza in Agwee cell

By Odong Stephen

Gulu City

Residents of Agwee Cell in Laroo-Pece City Division, Gulu City, have raised alarm over increasing insecurity, alcohol abuse, suspected criminal hideouts and incidents involving abandoned children, calling on authorities to strengthen security and promote community accountability.

The concerns follow the murder of Ocen John Bosco Ngire, a 23-year-old third-year student at Gulu University, whose body was discovered by the roadside in Agwee Cell on the night of October 10, 2026.

Ngire was pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree, majoring in Literature, when he was allegedly attacked and killed by unknown assailants.

In a statement, police at Gulu Central Police Station (CPS) in Aswa West Region confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the murder following investigations and intelligence-led operations conducted in collaboration with other security agencies.

The suspects were identified as Omara Gerald, alias Torach, and Rom Ambrose, alias Geng, both aged 18 and residents of Agwee Cell, Agwee Ward, Laroo-Pece Division, Gulu City.

According to police, the suspects allegedly provided accounts of how the murder was carried out and led investigators to the scene, where several exhibits were recovered.

The exhibits included a pair of shoes belonging to the deceased and a hammer suspected to have been used to strike him on the head.

Police said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the murder and gather additional evidence.

The incident has heightened fears among residents, who say criminal activities are increasingly threatening the safety of people living in the neighbourhood.

Residents Raise Concern over Abandoned Infant

Apart from the murder, residents have also expressed concern following the reported discovery of the body of a newborn baby who was allegedly abandoned and buried in Agwee Cell by an unknown person.

Flour Angee Jackline Odida, the Woman Councillor II and LC II Chairperson of Agwee Ward, expressed concern over the incident and cautioned women against unsafe abortion practices and abandoning newborn children.

She urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities or circumstances to local leaders and security authorities.

Odida also called on LC I leaders to strengthen the registration of residents to help identify people living in the area.

Overgrown Bushes Suspected to Be Criminal Hideouts

Residents have also blamed overgrown bushes and unattended plots of land for providing hiding places for suspected criminals and street gangs.

One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, appealed to the Division Mayor to intervene and ensure that landowners and institutions regularly maintain their properties.

The resident identified several areas of concern, including bushes near Gulu Clinical School along the Highland side, a eucalyptus forest near New Nile and another bushy area near New Gulu Town.

Other reported hotspots include areas along Betek Road, where people are allegedly seen smoking marijuana during the day, and a location near a jackfruit tree where criminals reportedly snatch mobile phones even in broad daylight.

The resident called on security authorities to intervene and ensure that landowners clear their properties to improve visibility and safety in the neighbourhood.

Meanwhile, Joseph Karugaba, the Divisional Police Commander (DPC) of Gulu Central Police Station, blamed residents for failing to report security concerns directly to the police.

He emphasised the need for community members to provide timely information about suspicious individuals and criminal activities to enable security agencies to respond effectively.

Gifter Aber, the Mayor of Laroo-Pece City Division, also called on landowners with overgrown bushes and unattended plots to clear and regularly maintain their properties.

One of the residents speaking during a community baraza in Agwee cell

Landlords Urged to Register Tenants

On another security concern, Odida urged landlords and landladies in Agwee Cell to register their tenants and collect their personal information to help address rising criminality.

She called on landlords to require new tenants to present introductory letters from their previous local leaders confirming their identities and places of origin.

She also cautioned landlords against allowing unexplained increases in the number of people occupying their rental properties, saying proper monitoring could help identify suspicious individuals.

Meanwhile, Wilfred Okot, the LC I Chairperson of Agwee Cell, said he was working with his committee members to organise an operation aimed at identifying people living in rental properties and addressing security gaps.

He said some individuals frequently move in and out of the area without being properly identified, making it difficult for local leaders to monitor their activities.

Okot also revealed that plans were underway to introduce a community bylaw to regulate behaviour and address challenges affecting residents.

The proposed bylaw will include penalties for those who violate its provisions, with community members expected to be consulted before its implementation.

Cheap Alcohol Consumption Raises Further Concerns

Residents have also raised concern over the increasing circulation and consumption of cheap alcoholic drinks, which they say are negatively affecting young people and families across Gulu City and the wider Acholi Sub-region.

One resident, identified only as Grace, called on government leaders and relevant authorities to regulate the sale of the alcoholic products.

She questioned why the drinks continue to circulate in the Acholi Sub-region, yet other parts of the country reportedly have stricter controls.

Grace called for the introduction of local bylaws to restrict the sale and consumption of the products, saying communities must take deliberate steps to protect young people from alcohol abuse.

In response, Peter Banya, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Laroo-Pece, acknowledged the challenge but attributed part of the problem to youth idleness and limited economic opportunities.

Banya said addressing the problem should not be left entirely to government, calling on parents and community members to take responsibility for restoring discipline in their homes.

Speaking as an Acholi, he argued that addressing insecurity and other social challenges would remain difficult without improving the economic conditions of young people.

He revealed that leaders were advocating for the establishment of a factory that could employ at least 2,000 young people, including school dropouts and those who never had the opportunity to attend school.

He said providing young people with employment, even though modest daily earnings, would be more productive than leaving them idle and vulnerable to destructive activities.

Call for Collective Action

Residents are now calling for coordinated intervention by police, local government leaders, landlords, parents and other stakeholders to address insecurity, alcohol abuse, youth unemployment and poor management of private properties.

They say the murder of the university student and the reported incident involving the newborn baby highlight the urgent need for stronger community vigilance, improved security coordination and greater responsibility among residents.

They are urging authorities to strengthen law enforcement while also addressing the underlying social and economic challenges affecting the community.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis