Commissioner Mawien Akech Mawein announced on Saturday that local executive chiefs from the Leer and Nooh sections, both cattle-herding communities, identified the suspects after intense discussions aimed at reducing the escalating tensions between the two groups, which have been clashing over cattle-related issues.
Akech explained that the chiefs from Leer and Nooh each named two suspects, resulting in a total of four arrests.
He detailed that on June 2, 2025, a cattle raid in Leer led to the theft of 45 cows. “Some of these youths among the four suspects were accused of leading the group that stole cows from Leer on June 2, and on June 4, 2025, another group, including two of the suspects, took 35 cows from the Nooh section,” the commissioner stated.
Akech mobilised his forces to recover the stolen cattle, an effort that proved successful, and convened a meeting with the chiefs to identify the ringleaders.
“The Leer and Nooh sections have been embroiled in recurring conflicts over cattle raids. We retrieved the 45 cows from Leer and 35 from Nooh, returning them to their owners yesterday. The four ringleaders are now in custody and under investigation,” he said.
The commissioner noted that the suspects will be brought before the courts and are being urged to reveal other members involved in the illicit cattle-raiding activities that have long plagued Greater Tonj. It remains uncertain whether the commissioner’s initiative to arrest these ringleaders will foster sustainable peace in the region or if tensions will persist.
