Eronda
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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Seven students of Apac Seed Secondary School were seriously injured after a violent clash with local youths during an Easter Sunday night disco, authorities have said, dismissing earlier reports of a targeted attack on the school.
The incident occurred at around 11pm on April 5 at a trading centre in Agweng Village, Abedi Parish, about 200 metres from the school.
Preliminary findings indicate the violence stemmed from a confrontation between students and community members over girls at the disco.
Apac Deputy Resident District Commissioner Richard Tabaro Okello said investigations show that some students had sneaked out of school to attend the event.
“We went there and found that some students went out for a disco but at around 8:30 pm the boys escorted the girls back to the dormitory and they returned to dance. The boys who remained wanted to dance with the community girls but the community boys refused and resulted in the fight,” he said.
He added that the situation escalated when students ran back to call for reinforcement from their colleagues, only to encounter armed villagers.
“These villagers had machetes and knives,” he said.
A resident, Mr James Amute, blamed the incident on repeated indiscipline among some students who allegedly sneak out at night and mix with locals at trading centres.
“These boys were part of indiscipline students who always escape from the school and they disturb us a lot. They steal cassava from our gardens, disturb our girls and some drink alcohol and smoke marijuana,” he said.
One of the injured students, who remains unnamed due to being a minor, said he was attacked while responding to a distress call from his fellow students.
“I was at the school when some two boys called us that they were attacked outside… we mobilised and went to rescue him but unfortunately we got into an ambush of the men armed with machetes and knives,” he said from his hospital bed.
School authorities maintained the institution itself was not attacked. Deputy headteacher Willy Opio said the fight occurred outside the school boundary and urged parents to remain calm.
“It was not within the school. Parents should not be worried because we are doing everything to keep our students safe,” he said.
Local leaders say disciplinary measures are being reviewed. Abedi Parish LC2 chairperson Geoffrey Okello Ongom said a meeting with school management will address rising cases of indiscipline.
Security forces have since arrested 11 suspects, although seven were released after screening. Four remain in custody at Apac Central Police Station.
North Kyoga regional police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema described the incident as retaliatory rather than a planned attack.
“It was not a targeted attack but instead a retaliatory attack which resulted into both sides getting injured. Investigations are ongoing,” he said.
Source: Daily Monitor
The incident occurred at around 11pm on April 5 at a trading centre in Agweng Village, Abedi Parish, about 200 metres from the school.
Preliminary findings indicate the violence stemmed from a confrontation between students and community members over girls at the disco.
Apac Deputy Resident District Commissioner Richard Tabaro Okello said investigations show that some students had sneaked out of school to attend the event.
“We went there and found that some students went out for a disco but at around 8:30 pm the boys escorted the girls back to the dormitory and they returned to dance. The boys who remained wanted to dance with the community girls but the community boys refused and resulted in the fight,” he said.
He added that the situation escalated when students ran back to call for reinforcement from their colleagues, only to encounter armed villagers.
“These villagers had machetes and knives,” he said.
A resident, Mr James Amute, blamed the incident on repeated indiscipline among some students who allegedly sneak out at night and mix with locals at trading centres.
“These boys were part of indiscipline students who always escape from the school and they disturb us a lot. They steal cassava from our gardens, disturb our girls and some drink alcohol and smoke marijuana,” he said.
One of the injured students, who remains unnamed due to being a minor, said he was attacked while responding to a distress call from his fellow students.
“I was at the school when some two boys called us that they were attacked outside… we mobilised and went to rescue him but unfortunately we got into an ambush of the men armed with machetes and knives,” he said from his hospital bed.
School authorities maintained the institution itself was not attacked. Deputy headteacher Willy Opio said the fight occurred outside the school boundary and urged parents to remain calm.
“It was not within the school. Parents should not be worried because we are doing everything to keep our students safe,” he said.
Local leaders say disciplinary measures are being reviewed. Abedi Parish LC2 chairperson Geoffrey Okello Ongom said a meeting with school management will address rising cases of indiscipline.
Security forces have since arrested 11 suspects, although seven were released after screening. Four remain in custody at Apac Central Police Station.
North Kyoga regional police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema described the incident as retaliatory rather than a planned attack.
“It was not a targeted attack but instead a retaliatory attack which resulted into both sides getting injured. Investigations are ongoing,” he said.
Source: Daily Monitor
