Police and the military have arrested three Burundian nationals on suspicion of being involved in suspicious activities.
The suspects were arrested on January 27, 2024 at around 4 pm, en route to the Amber Court market in Jinja.
Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson says they lacked identification documents, raising concerns about their intentions. Despite carrying expensive smartphones, they were engaged in vending roasted groundnuts.
He reveals that all the suspects hail from Ngozi district, Nyamurenza commune, Birambi zone in Burundi and entered Uganda on different dates.
The trio includes Bitangazi Mordscai,21, who entered Uganda in July 2022 from the Mutukula border, Minani Vincent,25, who arrived in February 2023 from the Katuna border and 21-year-old Miburo Firmin, who entered Uganda in September 2023 from Mutukula were residing together in a rented room in Namirezi zone, Njeru West division.
In a separate incident, security forces have also arrested two members of the Maimai militia who had escaped from their detachment and entered Uganda through the Kasenyi porous border at Kyesero.
Enanga reveals that concerned residents of Omukihundi village alerted security forces, leading to their arrest. The security teams recovered their SMG rifles, hidden in the bush, and transferred the suspects to Mburamizi UPDF brigade for further handling.
He states that all the five suspects will undergo screening to assess whether they pose any potential threat to national security or public safety.