Dr. Alemayehu Seifu, 46, was shot dead by unknown killers on the evening of Saturday 14th January at the gate of his residence in Hai Malakia within South Sudan's capital city Juba. The killer made off with his car and other personal belongings. The government of South Sudan immediately launched investigations into the incident. The vehicle Dr. Seifu was driving was later found on the Yambio-Juba road on Sunday afternoon with one occupant who was detained by police.
Messages of condolence poured in from all over the world from colleagues and friends who knew and worked with Dr. Seifu. In South Sudan the Ministers of Health both at State and Republic level visited AMREF staff and conveyed their condolences. Other messages of condolence were received from the South Sudanese Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Information.
Growing use of firearms in Juba came to prominence before Christmas when Warrior Security Guard Lagu Martin was shot in the leg guarding the Save The Children Office in the same area of town.
After the AMREF incident, Warrior Country Manager Jonathan Simpson, a British Army veteran of Kabul and Northern Ireland, was inundated with calls from local NGO's and aid organisations asking for security audits and upgrades of their security arrangements.
"We have definitely seen a shift towards the use of firearms in the past two months, and we urge all foreign organisations operating throughout South Sudan to make adequate provision for the protection of staff and assets."
As well as providing security guards and alarms to a wide cross section of clients, Warrior offers security appraisals and consultancy, and produces a weekly analysis of security related events and incidents in Juba for all Warrior clients.