PAKWACH, Uganda
Security personnel at the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) checkpoint in Pakwach have arrested five nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who were allegedly travelling to Kampala after entering Uganda illegally.
The arrests were made as Ugandan authorities continue to enforce strict border control measures introduced in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting eastern DRC and parts of Uganda.
According to the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Pakwach, Achile Twaibu, the five suspects were intercepted while travelling in a private vehicle heading towards Kampala.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the group may have entered Uganda through unauthorized routes following the closure of official border crossing points between Uganda and the DRC.
Twaibu confirmed that the individuals will be returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo through the Goli border customs point in line with existing immigration and public health regulations.
The arrests come at a time when Uganda has heightened surveillance along its western border after government authorities temporarily closed border points with the DRC to limit the risk of cross-border transmission of Ebola.
The restrictions were announced by the National Task Force on Ebola Response following an escalation of cases in eastern Congo and concerns over imported infections.
The closure allows only authorized humanitarian operations, cargo transport, security personnel and Ebola response teams to cross under strict health monitoring.
Health authorities say the current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rare strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine.
The outbreak was first confirmed in the DRC before spreading across the border into Uganda, prompting both countries to intensify screening, surveillance and contact-tracing efforts.
Officials have repeatedly warned that illegal border crossings pose a significant challenge to disease control measures because they bypass health screening procedures designed to identify and isolate potential cases before they enter communities.
Pakwach and other districts along Uganda’s western corridor have remained on high alert as security agencies work alongside health officials to monitor movement from neighboring countries.
Authorities have urged residents to use only designated entry points and to report anyone suspected of crossing the border illegally.
The five Congolese nationals remain in custody pending completion of the necessary immigration and health procedures before their deportation back to the DRC.
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