By Emmanuel Mandella

A night of revelry ended in disaster for a group of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers when their military vehicle overturned in Kubri Bou, leaving eight soldiers injured, and two in critical condition.

According to Bernardo Gabriel Amin, the Executive Director of Nagero, the accident occurred on Monday at around 6PM when the soldiers, allegedly intoxicated, were returning to their base after an outing in the community.

“The soldiers who were stationed at Bou Bridge went out to enjoy themselves. Perhaps they were drunk, and on their way back, their vehicle overturned. They were about 16 of them in total,” Amin confirmed.

The ‘joyride’ resulted in severe injuries, with two soldiers suffering compound fractures in their left legs. One soldier was reportedly unable to speak due to the severity of his injuries. The two most critical cases were referred to Tombura County Hospital for advanced medical attention, while six others received treatment and returned to their base.

According to an eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous due to security concerns, the scene was chaotic.

“I heard a loud crash and rushed to the scene. Some of the soldiers were crying in pain, while others appeared too dazed to comprehend what had happened. The vehicle was badly damaged, and you could smell alcohol in the air,” one witness recounted.

The incident was compounded by a second crash later that day when another vehicle, sent to retrieve a car key from Nagero, overturned twice due to reckless driving. Lieutenant Angelo Atem, the officer in charge of Kubri Bou military barracks, confirmed that six people were injured in the second accident.

“The first driver lost control, and when another soldier took over, he engaged all five gears at once, sending the vehicle veering off the road and into the bush,” Atem explained.

The twin accidents have raised serious concerns about discipline and alcohol consumption among the forces. The situation also highlights the risks of unchecked intoxication among uniformed personnel, with many in the community calling for stricter measures to prevent similar incidents.

“This is a wake-up call. The military is supposed to protect us, not endanger themselves and others on the road. Leadership must take action,” said a concerned resident of Nagero County in Western Equatoria State.

The incidences have raised concerns over adherence to road safety regulations.