The allegations were made by the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), which accused people from Greater Pibor of abducting the children on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
The allegation mentioned three-year-old Doctor Gatmai Diu, Bagui Gatmai Diu, a seven-year-old girl and Koang Riek Koang (7, boy). Doctor and Baguoi are siblings from Bentiu, Unity State, while Koang is from Jonglei State.
However, in a press statement released on Wednesday, the GPAA Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Jacob Werchum Juok, refuted the accusations, saying they were baseless and lacked credible evidence.
“We strongly reject this accusation and kindly request that Manyang Gatwech withdraw this misplaced accusation,” Werchum said in the statement.
According to the minister, the road where the alleged kidnapping occurred falls under the jurisdiction of Kenya, Eastern and Central Equatoria states, and therefore has “no connection whatsoever” to GPAA.
The press further noted that the route from Kakuma to Juba passes through a range of towns and villages in both Kenya and South Sudan, making the accusation against GPAA unjustifiable.
The statement warned that making such allegations without evidence could fuel divisions among communities in the region.
“Uttering unrealistic words without proper justification could amount to propaganda, hate speech, and a crime against peace and peaceful coexistence among communities in the region,” Werchum said.
“It is important to approach sensitive matters with diligence and care, making sure we do not jump to conclusions without sufficient proof.” He added.
The GPAA government urged the media and the public to refrain from spreading “unreliable information that may harm innocent individuals and cause destabilization in our community.”
The statement comes amid rising concerns over insecurity along regional highways, where incidents of abductions and roadside attacks have frequently been reported.
