South Sudan: Where are Fr Luke and his driver?

Paul Samasumo – Vatican City.

In frantic pleas, South Sudan’s Catholic Bishop of Tombura-Yambio Diocese, Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, has appealed to the Western Equatoria state governor and the South Sudanese republican president to help find the missing priest and driver.

The two have been missing since Saturday noon, 27 April 2024, when they travelled from Nagero County to Tombura.

Speaking to Vatican News, Bishop Hiiboro told of his unease and anxiety for the safety of the missing priest and driver. He asked for prayers and thanked all who have expressed solidarity with messages from across the world.

Timeline of events

Narrating the timeline of events, Bishop Hiiboro said Fr. Luke, in the company of his driver, had gone on a pastoral mission to Nagero County. The duo left Nagero County for Tombura at noon on Saturday, 27 April. They were travelling by road on a motorbike. They never arrived at their destination, triggering concern and alarm.

A Catechist was able to speak to them at 1pm, and after that, their phones went silent.

On Sunday, the following day, 28 April, Bishop Hiiboro formally wrote to the governor of Western Equatoria state, seeking the help of the local authorities in locating the missing priest and driver.

“Rev Father Luke Yugue is my priest of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio who has been working for the people of Nagero County. He went missing during his travel from Nagero County to Tombura County yesterday, Saturday, 27 April 2024. Rev Fr Luke left Nagero at 12.00 noon by road on a motorbike with the driver, Mr Gbeko. They were last found Online at 1.00pm (Saturday) when Catechist Ngbandua of Maringindo called them. Until now, Fr. Luke and his driver have not reached Tombura and are missing; their telephones are off,” wrote Bishop Hiiboro.

Appeal to the republican president

On Monday, 29 April, Bishop Hiiboro escalated his appeal by contacting South Sudan’s republican president, Salva Kiir Mayardit. The prelate informed President Kiir that Fr Luke and Mr Gbeko had been missing for two days, and the area where they went missing was controlled by the SPLM-IO Forces.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (abbreviated SPLM-IO) is a mainly South Sudanese political party and rebel group that split from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in 2013 due to political tensions between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar. The Vice President, Riek Machar, heads the SPLM-IO party and militia.

“Your Excellency, I am deeply concerned about his (Fr Luke’s) disappearance and the state of Tombura County,” Bishop Hiiboro wrote to President Salva Kiir.

He added, “As a church, we appeal to Your Excellency to help us bring Fr. Luka and those with him alive … I am convinced that at this critical moment, the President of the Republic is the only person with the power to save and bring back the priest and his driver to us,” Bishop Hiiboro implored.