Kampala — Over 1,000 veterans in Luweero district have been mobilised to join the Local defence unit (LDU) in a move to strengthen security in the area, the RDC, Mr. Edward Masiga, has said.

Masiga told The New Vision on Tuesday that the veterans are to work with the 600 LDU forces already in existence.

"We want them to beef up the LDUs," Masiga, also chairman of the district security committee said.

He said that the district administration had predicted a problem of rampant robberies and thefts of cattle around Christmas time, which the administration wanted the veterans prevent.

He said to the district administration had decided to recruit veterans in the LDU force because they were easy to train on how to handle firearms.

The move follows a series of armed robberies in the district in which thugs have robbed property worth millions of shillings and cash.

The most recent incident was at Wobulenzi, where four thugs attacked Caltex filling station last week, and stole over sh7m.

Earlier this year, thugs mounted a road-block along the Luweero-Ngoma road, where several passengers were robbed of property.