Police Vehicle Ambushed, Equipment Stolen During Opposition Campaign Surveillance
LIRA, UGANDA – A police surveillance operation tracking a National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential campaign rally ended in an attack that left a police vehicle disabled and valuable equipment stolen, authorities reported.
The incident, which is being treated as a case of malicious damage to property and robbery, occurred on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at around 1:00 pm along the Lira–Alebtong highway near Obot Primary School.
According to a police report, the complainant, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Isabirye Julius, was on official surveillance duty with his driver, Sergeant Muhungo Peter. Their vehicle, a police car using the cover registration UBK 380Q, was allegedly ambushed by a group identified as “NUP foot soldiers.”
The assailants, reportedly led by a man named Geoffrey Unzima, also known as “Tawa,” and an unidentified colleague, used a car (Reg. No. UAN 925Q) and a “greenish drone” (Reg. No. UA 933AU) to block the police vehicle abruptly.
“The assailants… proceeded to stab all four tyres using sharp metallic objects, grabbed the car key chip sensor, and robbed the occupants,” stated SP PJ Okema, the Public Relations Officer for the North Kyoga Region.
The stolen items include a Dell laptop valued at approximately 1.5 million Ugandan shillings, two 20-litre jerricans of diesel, and a bag of personal clothes belonging to SSP Isabirye.
Surveillance Mission Preceded Attack
Preliminary police findings suggest the attack was motivated by the NUP supporters’ suspicion that the police vehicle was carrying a signal jammer intended to interfere with their online communications. The report confirms the police vehicle had been following the NUP campaign trail across multiple districts in eastern and northern Uganda, including Manafwa, Tororo, Busia, Apac, and Lira City, before the incident happened on the way to Alebtong District.
The damage to the vehicle is significant. With all four tyres punctured and the key sensor stolen, the vehicle was rendered immobile. Police estimate the cost of replacing and reprogramming the key sensor alone at 700,000 shillings.
Fifteen Suspects Apprehended, Key Leaders Sought
Following the attack, police have swiftly moved to investigate. A case has been officially registered at the Bar Sub-county Police Station (SD Ref: 07/28/10/2025), and NUP coordinators in the area, Mr. Mawa Moses and Dr. Kanabi Moses, have been informed of the incident.
“So far, fifteen (15) suspects, who were travelling in the greenish drone, have been apprehended to aid in investigations and the vehicle has been impounded,” SP Okema confirmed.
However, the alleged ringleaders, Geoffrey Unzima alias Tawa and his unidentified colleague, remain at large. Police say efforts are ongoing to trace, arrest them, and recover the stolen property.
The scene was visited by the Officer-in-Charge of the station and the Officer-in-Charge of CID, and statements have been recorded from the police officers involved. Further updates are expected as the inquiry progresses.
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