Five Ugandans are feared dead after they went missing while returning from South Sudan, Daily Monitor has learnt.

Police on Monday named the missing as Patrick Omon, 28, and James Komakech, 24 residents of Tegot-Kwera in Agoro Sub-county, Gulu District and Kosantino Okwera, 28, a resident of Guda village in Madi-Opei Sub-county in Kitgum District.

Two others have not yet been identified but are believed to hail from Kitgum as well.

The regional Police spokesperson for northern Uganda, Mr Johnson Kilama, said they got to know of the matter after relatives of the missing people reported to him that some of their family members had been missing since June 18.

Details with the Police show that the five travelled on June 16 to Teratenya in South Sudan on bicycles to buy sorghum but disappeared on their way back between Apirit Checkpoint and Teratenya.

"Relatives of the missing people carried out a search on June18 but only found the shoes and underpants of Mr Komakech and a naked body which has not yet been unidentified," Mr Kilama said.

Police now suspect that the five people were killed by the Langi of Sudan.

Mr Kilama said police detectives are investigating the whereabouts of the missing people. He, however, did not offer more details about the operations.

Several business people from Uganda have in the past been reported missing and others found dead in the South Sudan region.

But last week while addressing the opening of the 24th session of the South Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba, the President of the semi-autonomous Government of South Sudan, Mr Salva Kiir, ordered his forces to forcefully disarm the civilian populations if they resist to hand over arms.

In order to make it easier for Police to identify people in case of any emergency, Mr Kilama advised travellers to carry identification documents on them.

"If you are travelling somewhere, inform your relatives and please carry your identification documents," he said.

Police did not disclose whether the government has taken up the issue with authorities from the semi-autonomous South Sudan government.