Arua DHO Killed, Surveyor Wounded by Mob Over Land Dispute

Summary:

• The Acting District Health Officer (DHO) of Arua, Mr. Paul Bishop Drileba, was killed by a mob on Saturday over a land dispute in Ajia Sub-county. Drileba had brought a surveyor to assess land he had purchased, but local residents opposed the survey, leading to the attack. The incident highlights ongoing land-related tensions in the area. Authorities are investigating the murder, and the surveyor was critically injured.

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Arua, Uganda (The Telegraph) —The Acting District Health Officer (DHO) for Arua, Mr. Paul Bishop Drileba, was tragically killed by a mob on Saturday afternoon in what police believe was a land dispute. Preliminary reports indicate that Drileba, who had recently purchased land in Ajia Sub-county, Arua district, had brought a surveyor to mark the property when tensions arose. Local community members opposed the survey, claiming parts of the land rightfully belonged to them.

The mob, in an act of violence, attacked Drileba and the surveyor, killing the DHO and leaving the surveyor critically wounded. The Arua Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Swaib Toko, confirmed that Drileba’s body had not yet been recovered, as authorities rushed to the scene. This incident follows a troubling pattern of land disputes in the region, which have led to violence in the past, including a similar killing last year.

Arua Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Collins Asea, expressed his sorrow over the incident, describing the death as a tragic outcome of ongoing land-related conflicts. Authorities are urging the public to seek peaceful resolutions to disputes and have condemned the violent actions of the mob. Drileba, who had served as District Health Inspector for several years, was promoted to Acting DHO seven years ago.