Gunmen shot dead Eastern Equatoria state governor’s bodyguard

JUBA – A group of unknown gunmen has killed a close bodyguard belonging to South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state governor, Louis Lobong, according to a gubernatorial aide.

In an interview, Orinya Godfrey, the Press Secretary for Lobong, said the gunmen ambushed the governor’s convoy returning from a community conference in a village in Eastern Equatoria state, killing the security officer who he identified as 22-year old Lokoro Peter.

“The attack took place on Tuesday when a Toyota land-cruiser returning from Kyala village after delivering funds meant for a community dialogue meeting,” he said this evening.

“So, this let to the killing of the bodyguard of the governor and we don’t information over who killed him because there are many criminals in the area who are all armed,” he added.

Security situation has been deteriorating in the world’s youngest country in recent months with senior government officials being used as target by armed groups and armed criminals.

In August, an ambush by members of South Sudan’s holdout opposition group, National Salvation Front (NAS) resulted in the killing of six members of the presidential guards assigned to vice-president James Wani Igga.

The incident sparked condemnation from the government and regional outcry over opposition’s ‘anti-peace’ activities.