A notorious cattle raider has been put out of action by joint forces of UPDF and police, following an operation conducted in Loputuk Odera parish in Panyangara sub-county, Kotido district.

The police spokesperson for Karamoja, Mike Longole has identified the deceased as Lopus Tom, commonly known as Lopusitom, which loosely means the owner of the blue gun.

According to Longole, security forces had been trailing Lopus after he was profiled by the anti-stock theft unit in Panyangara for involvement in the attack of their detach by Jie warriors, where a police officer was killed last year.

Security forces managed to recover a prison gun with 18 rounds of ammunitions, the gun was taken during the recent infamous Moroto prison break.

Longole intimated that Lopus was one of the ringleaders who masterminded the Moroto prison break in September 2019, an incident which saw hundreds of prisoners escape from detention and over ten guns stolen by the escapee prisoners.

The 32 year old Lopus will also remembered for attacks on detaches in Panyangara and Lokomebu,destabilizing the areas of Rikitae as well as conducting raids in other parts of Karamoja.

The killing of Lopus comes just days after joint security forces conducted a cordon and search operation in Lokeriyiaut kraal in Nadunget sub-county-Moroto district, where 31 guns and over 700 loose ammunitions were recovered.