Eastern Equatoria State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement, Peter Lokeng Lotone, said the state recovered five calves that were stolen from Oriaju County last week.

The raid was blamed on some youth from Lalanga in Lafon County.

Lotone said the youth were intercepted after security officers got reinforcements from Torit.

Preliminary information alleges that more than 20 calves were stolen, but reports from the investigation, provided by the minister, show that only 11 calves were stolen.

Lotone said there are plans to bring back the remaining six calves yet to be retrieved.

“We managed to recover the raided calves from Oriaju… Yesterday we sent some youth from Lalanga who are residing in Torit here to support those who are on the ground there,’’ he revealed.

The minister urged the youth to oppose cattle theft and to work and earn a living through agriculture.

Lokeng also encouraged the youth to observe the Revitalised Peace Agreement for peaceful cohesion.

“So let us follow the agreement which was signed by the parties,” he said. He added that “we told them (the youth) that let us stick to the peace agreement and also look into the issues of one nation, one state.’’

 We have to know very well that insecurity is harming all of us. Let us stick only to cultivation. If you can cultivate and get some dura (sorghum), I think you can buy a cow, you can get money, “he urged the youth.

The recovery is just one of the few efforts by the state that the Eastern Equatoria State government has come up with lately.

On March 28, the Torit County Commissioner led the retrieval of stolen cattle from Haforiere by some Hiyala youth.

Also late last month, security forces in Kapoeta South County of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State apprehended some robbers suspected to be disturbing travellers along Torit-Kapoeta-Narus highway.