Gulu City authorities have detained 41 individuals linked to the violent incidents and looting that erupted in the city centre on December 6, 2025, during campaign activities for National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine.

Among those apprehended is Fatuma Aleng, who police claim orchestrated the mobilisation of criminal gangs via social media platforms, including TikTok.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Aswa West Police spokesperson ASP David Ongom Mudong confirmed that the arrests followed a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation conducted in the early hours of December 18, 2025.

Mudong explained that the operation targeted Gulu City and nearby suburbs, relying heavily on CCTV footage and intelligence networks to identify the suspects. He said the December 6 unrest occurred while Kyagulanyi was campaigning, during which groups of alleged criminals reportedly assaulted civilians and looted properties, despite the heavy presence of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and police officers in the area.

“All 41 suspects are currently held at Gulu Central Police Station (CPS) as investigations continue,” Mudong stated. He further noted that efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend additional accomplices connected to the attacks.

The arrests come amid widespread public criticism of the security forces’ handling of the campaign rally and allegations that youth gangs were deployed to attack civilians.

On December 10, a group of respected elders from the Acholi Subregion, under the banner of Wangoo Heritage Ltd, submitted a petition to President Yoweri Museveni and the Electoral Commission, condemning the violence. Led by Rt. Rev. Macleod Baker Ochola, retired Bishop of Northern Uganda Diocese and Wangoo Heritage board director, the elders urged the President to investigate the incidents and ensure accountability.

The petition particularly highlighted the exploitation of young people in violent acts, stressing that the region, still recovering from decades of conflict, needs psychosocial support for its youth rather than recruitment into criminal activity.

In response, police have appealed for calm among the Acholi community and reaffirmed their commitment to bringing all perpetrators to justice.