Residents of the eastern district of Mayuge in Busoga sub region have been urged to remain vigilant during the festive season.
Mr Trevor Solomon Baleke, the deputy Resident District Commissioner told reporters on Tuesday that security agencies would intensify patrols in Mayuge to rid the area of criminality.
Baleke says they [security chiefs] have already briefed the local leaders on the tightening of security across the district “and any criminal planning to carryout out any illegal activities in Mayuge should stand warned.”
The warning follows the surging cases of theft of livestock and house break-ins being reported in Mayuge.
In the last two months, at least four suspected thieves have been lynched and two motorcycles on which they traveled burnt by angry mob in two separate incidents.
In the latest incident, two men travelling on motorcycle Bajaj Boxer Reg No. UFD 584F carrying a calf suspected to have been stolen from Lwabala village in Imanyiro sub county were on Monday lynched by an angry mob in Bufulubi trading centre.
Enraged residents intercepted their motorcycle to interrogate them about a calf they were carrying. On failure to explain, the mob lynched them and set ablaze their motorcycle. It was later confirmed that the duo had actually stolen the calf.
In Mayuge town council, people continue to lose their valuables to thieves as Christmas draws closer.
Baleke who condemned acts of mob justice assured the residents of good security during and after the festive.
“We are on ground, 24/7 and we shall carryout operations at a time least expected. Our people should remain very vigilant and report to us any individuals acts suspected to be criminal. We shall swing into action.
“A suspected thief should not be killed by the mob. Hand them over to our security teams such that they can assist us in identifying their accomplices,” he said.
“We have deployed enough informants who shall work with us and we have a standby team on top of those patrolling the areas both on foot and pickups and on uniform and plain clothes.”
The Deputy RDC also said that the police in Mayuge have been instructed to embark on a community sensitisation drive in a bid to restore sanity.
