SSPDF soldiers ordered to vacate illegally occupied houses, lands  in Central Equatoria state

JUBA – South Sudan army soldiers illegally occupying lands and houses in the country’s Central Equatoria state have been ordered by the state government to vacate and end the unlawful practice according to a statement by the governor’s office.

“Following the Governor’s visit to the Bilinyang Payam of Juba County and his accompanying delegation today, the state government has ordered the illegal land occupants in Bilinyang Garbo area to immediately vacate the area in question within 24-hours and follow the rightful procedures of owning a land as enshrined in the constitution,” the statement seen by Sudans Post reads in part.

According to the statement, the acting secretary-general of the state, Francis Luwala, urged the land grabbers on behalf of the governor  “to protect the image of the army and the nation at large by avoiding issues of land grabbing and uphold to their code of conduct as stipulated in the SPLA act.”

The statement further said the senior government official warned “that any attempt to resist the directive of immediate vacation of the area shall be treated more drastically and decision reached shall be final as well.”

Since the outbreak of the civil war in December 2013, land grabbing has become rampant involving senior government and army generals.

Last week, an unidentified army commander threatened to kill police officers enforcing a court order for him to vacate a house that he has been occupying since the outbreak of war in 2013 at Juba’s Nimra Talata neighborhood.