At least 30 suspected motorcycle thugs terrorizing pilgrims in Namugongo have been arrested by covert military and police personnel.

The operation was carried out following last night’s outcries of pilgrims whose bags and luggage had been snatched by men dressed like Boda boda riders.

The Boda boda riders who operate at among other roads Kyaliwajjala, Agenda, Mbalwa, Kira and Namugongo said they saw several women crying as they approached the Catholic and Anglican shrines.

This prompted the Boda boda to suspect that there were groups disguising as Boda boda riders yet their intentions were to rob unsuspecting pilgrims.

The leaders of the different Boda boda stages immediately alerted security which also dispatched covert teams from Kyaliwajjala up to Naalya, from Kyaliwajjala up to Kira, from Namugongo up to Sonde and from Kyaliwajjala up to Kireka town.

“We were shocked to find these goons forcefully taking people’s bags and luggage. We started picking them one by one and within a short time we had arrested 13. We continued with the operation throughout the night and by morning we had arrested over 30,” said the senior security officer.

Bosco Buziba, the chairperson of boda boda riders in Namugongo who took part in the operation said when they received information that a group of thugs were mugging people, they decided to work with security to ensure they are arrested.

“I was shocked to hear that boda boda riders operating in my division were stealing from the pilgrims. We alerted Police and we made sure that we worked with them. We started hunting the thugs on motorcycles who were following Pilgrims in and out of Namugongo,” said Buziba.

Musa Bwojji, the local Defence in Namugongo one, says that they are determined to deal with groups of gangs that are planning to take advantage of the martyrs day celebrations.

“I want to warn all criminal gangs planning to carry out their criminal activities, that they should prepare to suffer the consequences, because we have prepared ourselves to work with security agencies, to ensure safety and security of all Ugandans who come for prayers on that day,” said the Police spokesperson Fred Enanga.