SPLA-IO officer who defected to Kiir in September not going to Juba until ‘mission’ completed

JUBA – Former senior commander of Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) who defected to the South Sudan people’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in September is saying that he will not go to Juba until he completed his mission in Kajo-Keji.

Major General Moses Lokujo defected from the SPLA-IO on September 21, after an investigation committee was set up by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar against him to answer human rights abuses in the Central Equatoria region.

Following his defection, General Lokujo told SPLA-IO forces at Moroto centre in Kajo-keji that they had four days to leave, otherwise they would risk being driven out by force.

Last week, fighting broke out at Moroto unified training centre after the former opposition commander attacked SPLA-IO base allegedly with the help of the government in Juba.

Later on, the Join Defense Board (JDB) summoned him to Juba to answer for the offensive.

However, speaking to Sudans Post this morning, General Lokujo who said he is in Yei, said he will not go to Juba until he completed his mission of expelling SPLA-IO forces in the area, saying the main armed opposition group do not have forces there.

He said most of the opposition forces who were in the area have defected to the government with him.

“First of all, there are no SPLA-IO forces in the area,” Lokujo said. “All the forces of the SPLA-IO were under my command and when I declared my allegiance to the SSPDF, they also joined with me. So, no one can claim there are SPLA-IO forces there, unless the SPLA-IO has gathered new militia soldiers in the area.”

The former opposition commander said he will not go to Juba until the SPLA-IO forces there vacate the area.

“So, I am telling you I am not going to Juba until the forces that claim to be SPLA-IO forces here in the area are driven out. So I won’t go until the mission is complete,” he further said.