Uganda security forces on Sunday arrested a South Sudanese army colonel on allegation of recruiting youths in the northern Uganda district into rebel ranks, Local online website, the Daily Monitor reports.
The West Nile police spokesperson, Ms Josephine Angucia said that Col John Data Taban claimed they run an extensive recruitment ring in both Uganda and South Sudan.
Taban, 51, claims to be a colonel in one of South Sudan military groups.
Angucia said that some of the youth, who returned from South Sudan, said that Col Data had promised them both cash and jobs, but they ended up in the rebel camps and were then ordered to fight the South Sudan government forces, the report said.
Recently, Col Paul Gabriel Lam, the deputy spokesperson of the SPLA-IO led by former South Sudan vice president Dr Riek Machar, said the youth who join them do so willingly, stating that the youth join the group to protect their homes from government attacks.
Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) spokesman, Richard Karemire denied there was widespread rebel recruitment network in the country.
He said Data is a fake self-appointed colonel.
“These activities are not widespread, they are very few and our security forces are handling the situation,” Brig Karemire said.
He warned the different forces not to use Uganda as recruitment ground; warning that those who attempt to do so would be prosecuted.
Taban will soon be arraigned in court.
Last year, a wave of mysterious disappearance of refugees in urban centres hit Uganda. The cases were traced to have been taken by the government forces to fight or killed on suspicion of being members of the rebel group.
The Uganda government and UNHCR officials said extra security measures had been put in place to protect the refugees.
