110 Eritreas sneak in through Kenya
A secret mission to smuggle 110 Eritrean migrants into Kampala was busted wide open this week when Ugandan security forces pounced in Moroto District, arresting the group just hours before they could vanish into the capital.
The group is believed to have journeyed from Eritrea, sneaking through Kenya and into Uganda under cover of darkness. Their final stop being Kampala where they allegedly hoped to disappear into the crowds or start new lives.
But the mission went south on Wednesday night when a Kenyan-registered bus carrying 74 of them was intercepted at Nadunget checkpoint by alert security officers. The group was headed straight for Moroto town. Forty-five were immediately transferred to Kampala’s immigration centre, while 28 were detained in Moroto.
Another raid on Thursday uncovered 36 more Eritreans hiding inside a secluded home in Singila village. Among them were 13 women. Locals say a suspicious Kenyan bus had dropped them off earlier in the week, a clue that sparked curiosity and concern.
LCI chairperson Moses Loduk said, “They told us they wanted to open a business in town, but no one believed that story. The place was packed. Something wasn’t right.”
110 Eritreas sneak in through Kenya
Police arrested a local businessman known only as Obama, who police believe was the local fixer. According to investigators, he had direct contact with the migrants’ group leader and even managed the house they were hiding in.
Deputy RDC Justine Sam Tuko, who oversaw the sting, says this could be part of a larger smuggling ring. “We believe there is a bigger network behind this movement,” he said, warning that security forces will remain on high alert.
