South Sudan spy agency sets 1 condition for release of ex-Northern Bahr el Ghazal governor

JUBA — The Director General of Internal Security Bureau at  South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) General Akol Koor Kuc has set one pre-condition for release of former governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state Kuel Aguer who was arrested by the agency early this week, a source familiar with the matter told Sudans Post.

Aguer was arrested on Monday days after forming a civil rights advocacy group aiming to mobilize the people of South Sudan amid growing discontent with the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Two other co-founders of the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) are activists Rajab Muhandis and Abraham Awolich. Muhandis and Awolich fled to hiding since Aguer’s arrest and said they were still on the ran.

As of August 6, 2021, their whereabouts remain unknown and the National Security Service was still looking for them.

Speaking to Sudans Post on condition of anonymity on Thursday, a source who accompanied the family to the National Security headquarters in Jebel where Aguer is being held on Wednesday said they were informed by junior officers that General Akol Koor won’t release Aguer until Muhandis and Abraham Awolich surrender.

“On Wednesday morning, I went with the family to see Governor Kuel Aguer and when we arrived there, the small or junior officers told us that we must bring Rajab Muhandis and Abraham Awolich if he is to be considered for release,” the source said from Juba.

“We made it clear to them that we don’t know where the two are currently because what matter to us is Kuel Aguer who is just a citizen and who should not be prosecuted for crimes committed by other citizen. It is their duty to subdue a criminal and not us,” the source added.

The source further said the National Security Service (NSS) has “refused to arrange him in court. They say won’t take him to court if we don’t get the two other people who are being hunted down by them.”