BIG STORY: 17 Arrested, 3 Guns Seized In Iganga’s Major Armed Robbery Bust!

By Frank Kamuntu

Security agencies in Iganga District have made a major breakthrough in the fight against violent crime following a successful joint intelligence-led operation that resulted in the arrest of seventeen suspects and the recovery of three AK-47 rifles linked to a series of aggravated robberies.

The coordinated crackdown follows weeks of investigations triggered by a botched robbery in Walukuba, Jinja City, on 27 September 2025. During the attempted robbery, security operatives attached to Lugazi intercepted the criminals, fatally wounding one suspect and arresting another identified as Gumikiriza Allan. An SMG rifle loaded with two rounds of ammunition was recovered at the scene.

According to security officials, Gumikiriza later confessed to participating in several high-profile robberies in Iganga District. Among these was the theft of UGX 9.5 million from a victim identified as Ndagire Justine. He also provided crucial intelligence, naming his accomplices and revealing that he conducted pre-robbery surveillance with Magumba Saidi, a 25-year-old resident of Nkono 3 Village in Iganga Municipality.

Guided by this information, a joint security team launched a targeted operation on 20 November 2025 at around 8:00 a.m. Three key suspects were arrested:

• Magumba Saidi, 25, resident of Nkono 3 Village
• Kakaire Abdullah, alias Brown, 36, resident of Igulusa Village, Nakalama Subcounty
• Mulondo Samuel, alias Shadow, 25, a businessman from Nkono 3 Village

During interrogation, the suspects admitted involvement in multiple aggravated robberies across Iganga District. They further revealed that the firearm used in these crimes was supplied and kept by an individual identified only as Muzei, a resident of Bugembe Division in Jinja City.

Investigators believe that the rifle recovered in Walukuba is the same weapon used in the Iganga robbery incidents. Security teams say Muzei abandoned the firearm at the Jinja crime scene before fleeing. He remains on the run, and efforts to track him down are ongoing.

Authorities have applauded the operation as a significant step toward dismantling organized criminal networks in the region. Security teams continue to urge the public to provide information that may lead to the arrest of remaining suspects and the recovery of additional illegal firearms.