Drama unfolded in Ludara Sub-county, Koboko District, on Tuesday evening after a confrontation erupted between district leaders, local residents and forest enforcement officials over the disputed boundary along River Araga.

The dispute began when Koboko leaders, led by LC5 Chairperson Ashraf Mambo, attempted to erect a signpost near River Araga, claiming the area belongs to Koboko and accusing Yumbe officials of crossing into the district to collect revenue. Forest officials, led by Maj. Joseph Omoji and Regional Range Manager Milton Nyeko, rejected the move and uprooted the signpost, arguing that the area falls within the Mt Kei Central Forest Reserve and that district authorities had no mandate to erect boundary markers there.

The confrontation reportedly turned physical, coming shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting on the ongoing forest evictions ended prematurely. Local leaders and security officials have since called for the eviction exercise to be suspended for two weeks to allow authorities to clarify the disputed boundaries, with more than 8,000 residents in five villages reportedly affected by the dispute.