Jinja, Uganda — Police in the Kiira region have arrested a suspected Allied Democratic Force-ADF rebel Lavara Nyanza.
Nyanza, a Congolese national is currently detained at Jinja central police station. He was arrested on Tuesday following a tip-off from residents.
During the arrest, security personnel say they recovered two bullets, and several documents indicating the schools, government installations, and other facilities of their planned attacks.
According to police, Nyanza was recruited into the ADF at the age of five years, where he served in different units before being elevated to the position of Chief Cook for the front-line combatants, for the past 20 years.
Nyanza says that his commanders whom he declined to name deployed him and two others on a spying mission in Uganda for the past three years. He says that they later settled in Kasese district during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Nyanza, they later relocated to Mbarara City, Mukono district, before moving to Jinja City where they were planning terror activities. He said that had planned an attack in Jinja City during the festive season and then proceeded to Busia.
One of the residents who preferred anonymity said that Nyanza who pretended to be a lunatic was arrested while taking pictures of different buildings along Iganga Road, Southern Division, in Jinja City. He was also found in possession of an unspecified amount of money and a mobile phone.
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The LCI Chairperson, Paul Batambuze said that the area is congested with dozens of roadside food vendors, bars, and lodges, which gives room for wrong elements to live within the community undetected.
On Tuesday, the Police and Nyanza revisited the different areas along Iganga Road, where he pitched camp for one week pretending to be a beggar. The Kiira regional police spokesperson, James Mubi confirms the arrest of Nyanza but declined to divulge details.
He said that a detailed press release will be availed after thorough investigations by police and UPDF. On Monday, the police released photographs of three wanted terror suspects including Lavara. The other two are Ismail Mutegule and Abdallah Kala.
This was after two blasts went off simultaneously at around 9 pm at Kikubamutwe in Kabalagala and another in Nabweru in Nansana Municipality on Saturday.
According to the Joint Security Spokesperson, Fred Enanga the trio is considered dangerous, and armed. He asked the public to provide information leading to their arrest.
