A Uganda People's Defence Forces soldier (UPDF) and a female police officer attached to Gulu Field Force Police department were injured last night in a gunfire exchange with unknown gunmen at Gulu Central Police Station (CPS).
The injured were rushed to the 4th division military health center inside the 4th Division barracks. An officer who was involved in the fire exchange told URN on condition of anonymity that the gunmen struck at around 8:30pm last night leading to heavy gunfire exchange which lasted up to around 9:30pm.
High ranking security sources claim that gunmen attacked the police station in an attempt to rescue Dan Oola Odiya, the Uganda's People's Congress (UPC) deputy national mobilization secretary who is being held at the station since Wednesday last week.
Odiya is wanted for his alleged role in the attack on a UPDF detach at Opit in Lakwana sub-county in Gulu district on May 27 where Alfonse Ojara, a local defence unit personnel and five-year-old boy Haggai Okullu were killed, eight guns and military uniforms stolen and several property looted.
According to sources, two attackers surrendered together with their firearms as UPDF swung into action to back up the police officers at the station. Wilson Kwanya, the Aswa Regional Police Commander declined to divulge details about the attack, saying it is still too early.
In a message circulating on social media, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) claims to have carried out the attack. The group claims to have captured a number of weaponry and dismisses claims that some of its attackers were captured or surrendered. However, we couldn't independently verify the authenticity of these claims.
COUP PLOT?
Meanwhile, at least 30 people including Colonel Dan Opito Odwe, the Commander of Entebbe Air Force garrison are being held for plotting to oust the government of President Yoweri Museveni.
Lt. Col Paddy Ankunda, the army spokesperson yesterday evening said that the suspects together with others who are still at large are wanted for organizing rebel activities in various parts of the country. Key of the suspects is opposition politician, Michael Kabaziguruka, the newly elected Nakawa division MP.
According to Ankunda, some of the suspects were arrested from the military headquarters in Bombo and their homes in Wakiso district and Kampala in connection to the disappearance of weapons in their detachments. He however, declined to disclose where the suspects are being held.
Kabaziguruka declined to comment, saying the matter is still under investigation. This is the third time the army is arresting Colonel Opito over the same charges.
Opito was a former rebel commander in Lango region in 1989. He surrendered and was integrated into UPDF.
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