Agago Tragedy: Elephants Claim Two Lives, Injure Two Amidst Cattle Raids

Tragedy struck Agago District on October 12, as two individuals lost their lives and two more sustained injuries during separate encounters with elephants. These wildlife-related fatalities occurred in Lapono and Lukole sub-counties, areas that have frequently reported issues with elephants straying from Kidepo Valley National Park.

In Te-Obiya Village, Lapono Sub-county, a 16-year-old, Oyoo Marachiliano, was fatally trampled by elephants that entered the village at dusk. During the same incident, 60-year-old Rose Awor was attacked, and a 16-year-old named Robert Mwaka was injured while attempting to assist her. Both Awor and Mwaka suffered serious injuries and are receiving medical attention.

Compounding the distress, suspected Karamojong raiders reportedly stole seven cattle from a protected kraal in the same sub-county on the same day. A separate elephant attack in Bwol Village, Lukole Sub-county, resulted in the death of a 32-year-old man, bringing the total number of fatalities from the wildlife incidents to two.

Local leaders, including Lapono Sub-county LC3 Chairperson Jakalia Oryema Atom, have urgently called for government intervention. They expressed fears that inaction could lead residents to resort to vigilantism and implored the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to address the persistent threat posed by elephants. Agago Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega Nok confirmed the events and is engaging stakeholders to find solutions.

Residents voiced their long-standing frustration, stating they have repeatedly alerted authorities about the marauding elephants with little response. They are appealing for urgent measures, including the construction of trenches to deter elephants, increased ranger presence, and compensation for losses. The incidents underscore the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region, with previous incursions reported in multiple Agago sub-counties.

Source: Nile Post