Gov’t orders removal of all ‘illegal’ checkpoints along Nimule-Juba-Wau highway

JUBA – South Sudan’s custom service has directed for the removal of all illegal check points along the Nimule-Juba-Bahr el Ghazal highway days after a request was made by East African truck drivers, according to the South Sudan director of customs service.

Last week, the truck drivers delivering goods to the country through the Nimule border point threatened to stop delivering goods to the country after rise in highway attacks in which several East African drivers from Uganda and Kenya were killed.

The truck drivers also urged the government to remove all the checkpoints from Nimule to Juba and to also be provided with security escort by forces under the regional bloc, intergovernmental authority on development.

In respond, the director of custom service Gen. Akol Ayii acknowledge the presence of illegal checkpoints and said his office has directed for removal of all illegal checkpoints from Nimule through Juba until Western Bahr el Ghazal state capital Wau.

“We don’t want any road block from Nimule to Wau. From Nimule, you proceed directly to where you are going or where the goods are destined to,” Gen. Akol told said in an interview with the Eye Radio on Tuesday.

“If you are going to Wau, Bor town, Juba or any part of the country, you need to proceed without any disturbance. There is a team that has been set up to escort the trucks already. There is no any checking of any truck on the road, we are not leaving any truck to go alone according to our resolution. Right now there is already a national security general in Nesitu to stay there,” he added.