BY ALEX PITHUA

Nwoya : Security operatives in Nwoya District, Uganda, conducted a successful recovery operation, seizing an A-G3 NATO firearm along with eight rounds of ammunition from a resident of Pakiya Village, Lii Sub-county.

According to Nwoya District Police Commander Robert Magombe, the April 19, 2025 discovery was initiated following a tip-off from a local farmer who reported unearthing the buried firearm and ammunition while digging his garden.

This marks the third of such recovery in Nwoya within a month, with prior incidents recorded in Koch Goma Town Council on March 20, 2025, and Ceke Village, Lii Sub-county, on April 9, 2025.

The recovered A-G3 NATO firearm is suspected to have been concealed during the height of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in the region, a period marked by widespread violence and arms proliferation.

No arrests have been made in connection with this recovery, as investigations continue to ascertain the origins and circumstances of the firearm’s concealment.

Commander Magombe attributed the success of these recoveries to robust community policing initiatives, which have enhanced public vigilance and fostered timely reporting of suspicious activities.

He commended the local community for their cooperation, emphasizing that such collaboration is critical to mitigating security threats posed by illicit arms.

The recovery has been formally documented, with a case file opened at Nwoya Central Police Station under reference Nwoya CRB 311/2025.

Authorities are intensifying efforts to trace any potential links to residual insurgent activities or illegal arms networks in the region.

Uganda’s security forces have been actively engaged in recovering illegal firearms, particularly in regions affected by past insurgencies such as the LRA rebellion, which plagued Northern Uganda for over two decades.

The proliferation of small arms during this period has left a legacy of hidden weapons caches, posing ongoing risks to public safety. 

The Uganda Police Force, in collaboration with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), has prioritized disarmament and community sensitization programs to curb the circulation of illicit firearms.

Operations targeting illegal arms have been bolstered by amnesty programs encouraging civilians to surrender weapons voluntarily, alongside proactive intelligence-led recoveries, as seen in Nwoya.

These efforts align with Uganda’s broader commitment to regional stability and compliance with international protocols on small arms and light weapons control.