Two arrested for involvement in the murder of FDS agents in Chiúre

Two men, aged 50 and 53, are in custody at the District Command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) in Chiúre, Cabo Delgado province, accused of active participation in the murder of two Defense and Security Forces (FDS) officers. The crime occurred on July 29 in the village of Nivenivene, in the administrative post of Chiúre Velho.

 According to information provided by Jornal Notícias and confirmed by Eugénia Nhamussua, spokesperson for the PRM Provincial Command, the two suspects are considered leaders of a group with links to the Naparama movement, a paramilitary organization that has gained notoriety in the north of the country.

 "The police have carried out a series of operations since July, culminating in the arrest of part of the group. We continue working to neutralize the remaining members of the gang. We appreciate the public's cooperation, which enabled us to locate the hideout of those involved," Nhamussua stated.

 According to the PRM, the FDS agents were questioned by the armed group while on a mission. They were reportedly tortured and murdered on site, an act considered heinous by the authorities and widely condemned by the local population.

 During interrogation, one of the detainees confessed to having participated in the lynching, although he claimed to have been drunk at the time of the crime.

 "I confess to having participated in the entire process. At the time, I had consumed alcoholic beverages," he stated, according to the police.

 The second suspect denied direct involvement, stating that he left the group before the attacks began.

 "I didn't participate. I was under the influence of alcohol and didn't follow the group when they started attacking the officers," he said.

 The PRM reiterated its call to the public to avoid acts of private justice, stressing that such actions put law enforcement officers and innocent civilians at risk.

 "In some situations, FDS members are mistaken for individuals of bad conduct and end up being unfairly attacked. We ask that any suspicions be reported to local authorities, who are competent to confirm the suitability of individuals. Private justice is not the right path," emphasized Eugénia Nhamussua.

 Authorities are continuing search and capture operations for the remaining members of the group involved in the attack, with operations underway in several locations in the Chiúre district and neighboring areas.

 The PRM assures that additional resources are being mobilized to reinforce security and restore public order, in a context still marked by tension and insecurity in some areas of Cabo Delgado.

The Naparama are a civilian self-defense militia initially formed in the 1990s during the Mozambican civil war, which has re-emerged in recent years as a parallel counter-terrorism force in the north of the country. Although they sometimes act with the support or tolerance of certain communities, their actions raise concerns regarding legality, human rights, and interference with the actions of regular forces.