By Our Reporter
LIRA
The territorial police in North Kyoga Region, Lira District, Bar Sub-county Police Station, are investigating a case of malicious damage to property and robbery involving Police Motor Vehicle Reg. No. UP 4816 (operating under cover registration UBK 380Q).
The incident occurred on 28th October 2025, at around 1:00 pm, along the Lira–Alebtong highway near Obot Primary School, Obot A Village, Obot Parish, Bar Sub-county, Lira District.
The complainant, SSP Isabirye Julius, attached to the Criminal Investigations Headquarters and deployed for surveillance duties during the NUP presidential campaign rally, reported that while on official duty together with his driver, No. 55181 Sgt. Muhungo Peter, they were attacked by a group of NUP foot soldiers led by Geoffrey Unzima alias Tawa and an unidentified colleague.
The assailants, who were using motor vehicle Reg. No. UAN 925Q and a greenish drone Reg. No. UA 933AU, allegedly stopped and blocked the police vehicle abruptly before proceeding to stab all four tyres using sharp metallic objects, grabbed the car key chip sensor, and robbed the occupants of a Dell laptop computer (worth approximately 1.5 million shillings), two jerricans of 20 litres of diesel fuel, and a bag of clothes belonging to the complainant.
Preliminary findings suggest that the attackers suspected the vehicle to be carrying a jammer interfering with their online communication network, as it had been seen following their campaign trail across several districts including Manafwa, Namisindwa, Tororo, Busia, Apac, Kwania, Kole, Lira Rural, and Lira City, before proceeding towards Alebtong District.
As a result of the attack, the vehicle was rendered immobile due to the punctured tyres and the loss of the key sensor, which will require replacement and reprogramming estimated at 700,000 shillings.
A case of malicious damage and robbery has been registered at Bar Sub-county Police Station under SD Ref: 07/28/10/2025. NUP coordinators in the area, Mr. Mawa Moses and Dr. Kanabi Moses, have been informed of the incident. The scene was visited by the OC Station and OC CID Bar Sub-county, and statements have been recorded from the complainant and driver.
So far, fifteen (15) suspects, who were travelling in the greenish drone, have been apprehended to aid in investigations and vehicle impounded.
Efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest the key suspects, Geoffrey Unzima alias Tawa and his unidentified colleague who remain on the run. Police are also working to recover the stolen items and identify any other accomplices involved in the attack.
Following the attack, heavy security was deployed on Tuesday night at Lira City Hotel, where Bobi Wine and his team were staying. Officers from the Field Force Unit (FFU), commanded by Moses Mukiibi, reportedly began knocking on hotel room doors in a coordinated search operation, seeking Tower and Andrew Natumanya, alias Ninye Tabz.
In a live TikTok broadcast, Bobi Wine said: “They are breaking into each of the rooms without revealing their actual purpose.”
The operation began shortly after 8:00 p.m., with two heavily packed vehicles arriving near Armaflex Hotel before proceeding to Lira City Hotel.
Police reportedly arrested around 15 NUP colleagues and impounded one of the vans in Kyagulanyi’s convoy.
The team had initially planned to spend the night in Soroti, but heavy rains cutting off roads in Alebtong and Otuke forced them to return to Lira to prepare for rallies in Abim and Kotido.
The Police has not issued an official statement regarding the hotel raid or the arrests. Investigations into the highway attack and related incidents are ongoing.
