BY Daily Press Team
Last year was one of the busiest years police working with the Army have ever had. It took nerve cracking efforts to ensure public safety.
Through out the 12 months of last year including January which ended two days ago, Police and Army have foiled various planned terrorism attacks and also cracked up gangs. Terror cells linked to Allied Democratic Forces-ADF have been dismantled. There were also rebel activities of Uganda Coalition Forces of Change (UCFC) whose self-styled commander Col Ssemwogere alias Ndugwa was arrested and charged in Court Martial.
Martin Ochola, the Inspector General of Police, in his end of year statement on December 23, said the groups carried out senseless attacks on police units and personnel, in which some officers lost their lives while others were seriously injured in the line of duty of protecting the community.
Ochola has since said that the sacrifice of the deceased officers will never be forgotten and their names will be recorded in the wall of Fame at the Police Museum in Kibuli.
UPDF joined police in fighting violent crimes along the Kampala Northern bypass where cars were being smashed with pavers, bricks and stones by thugs
Other crimes that have recently been minimized by Army and Police are vandalism of electricity and other utility infrastructure, traditional crimes of aggravation like armed robberies and murders.
“Despite these challenges, I am grateful to the collaborative efforts of the joint security partners, my leadership team, all territorial commanders and frontline officers, who have gone above the call of duty, to prevent, counter, disrupt and dismantle, the criminal elements behind these acts of hostility and violence,” Ochola said.
The UPDF has always intervened whenever need arises. UPDF has spent over a year in the jungles of the Democratic Republic of Congo- DRC facing off with ADF terrorists who detonated bombs in October and November 2021 killing five Civilians, a police officer and leaving more than 40 injured.
Back to Kampala Criminality, Ochola acknowledges that the joint efforts of Army and Police intelligence agencies led to dismantling criminal networks in the greater Kampala suburbs of Nansana, Kyebando, Kyengera, Namungoona, Katwe, Kisenyi as well as in Mbarara and Fort Portal.
“We also disrupted efforts by the ADF, to reconstitute and establish operational cells in Lukaya and Butambala, and most recently in Matugga and Maganjo. Several suspects linked to the hostile group were arrested, including the leader of the ADF terror cell in Central Region, a one Kabanda Abdallah Musa alias Mogo,” Ochola said.
In all these operations, UPDF and Police have recovered an assortment of exhibits in form of IEDs, suicide bomb jackets, bomb making and instruction materials, rifles, ammunition, motorcycles and electronic gadgets.
As Army celebrates this year’s Tarehe Sita, the IGP credits military, police and other security agencies for their dedicated efforts to fighting criminality and terrorism activities.
“I want to specially acknowledge and thank the men and women of the UPF, UPDF, Prisons, Joint Intelligence, all MDAs, members of the Criminal Justice System, the Private and Business Sector, NGOs, the local leaders and the media for all their efforts in helping us keep peace, promote safety and security in our nation,” Ochola said.
Ochola urges security personnel to continue remaining vigilant and extra alert.