The residents of Hai Baraka have raised concerns over the increasing insecurity and appealed for the establishment of a police station in the area.

Cecilia Richard, Chairperson of the Hai Baraka residential area in Juba said they need the Ministry of Interior to deploy security forces in the area to protect residents and their properties.

Cecilia said the area has been experiencing rampant insecurity this year due to the lack of presence of security.

“On 24 November we are surprised by gunshots at around 7 pm. After a short time, I got a report that criminals have killed two people and injured one. These criminals are not staying in Hai Baraka. They come from outside to disturb us,”

“That is why the only solution is to bring for us the police to protect us. We have an area that is allocated for them. So we are appealing to the government especially the ministry responsible for the police forces to send some of them for us,” Cecilia stressed.

She was speaking at Gudele II Police Station on Thursday when police called on the residents who were invited to witness the parading of the 13 suspected criminals.

The suspects were arrested for various crimes including murder and robbery in the residential area.

“Since the beginning of November, our people cannot sleep well at night. When it is night, you don’t expect to reach the next morning. We don’t know how it will be this week as Christmas is approaching. This means criminals are going to kill us,” Cecilia worried.

Hai Baraka, a Juba suburb residence, is located west of Juba town in Muniki Payam.

When asked Police Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin told The City Review on Friday that police have already been posted in the New Dawn residential area to ensure the security of other nearby residences.

“We have a post that belongs to sector 5 then we sub-sectors that is small police posts where we have forces who patrol all the areas in the night. There is, there is police post in the New Dawn,” said Maj. Gen. Justin.

Police on Thursday arrested 13 suspected criminals in connection with most of the crimes that have been committed in Juba. They were found in possession of nine weapons including eight AK47 and a pistol.

They were also found in possession of thousands of fake dollars, a Noah van, and Raksha in a police crackdown on criminals ahead of Christmas.

However, Inspector General of Police Lt. Gen. Majak Akech appealed to citizens to cooperate with police, promising the government’s protection to the residents.  

“The date is coming ahead of us that we are about to celebrate, the Christmas and the new year which we assure you that it will be peacefully and whoever that will accept criminality, then we will take action immediately,” he warned.