Shocking Video Emerges of Plain-Clothed Operatives Abducting Civilians: The Ghosts of Uganda’s Past Return

Ugandans Alarmed by a Familiar Scene

A chilling video circulating on social media has left many Ugandans in shock after it captured a group of plain-clothed security operatives forcefully abducting civilians using a private vehicle registration number UBH 784H.
In the video, the operatives—who appeared to be acting with confidence and impunity—dragged unidentified citizens into the vehicle, as onlookers screamed in disbelief.

The exact location of the incident could not be independently established by Uganda Today, but what’s unmistakable is the sense of fear and helplessness it has rekindled across the country.

Government’s Denials vs. Reality on the Ground

For years, the Uganda Police Force and top government officials have vehemently denied allegations of abductions and enforced disappearances, often dismissing them as fabrications by “political actors.”
Yet, this disturbing video provides a stark visual contradiction: a man believed to be one of the operatives is seen drawing a pistol and threatening bystanders who attempted to intervene in the abduction.

Such imagery stands in sharp contrast to the repeated assurances by security spokespersons that “Uganda is governed by law, not fear.”
As one social media user commented, “How can they deny abductions when the whole world can see it?”

Echoes of Obote and Amin Eras

Older Ugandans have drawn painful parallels between this video and the dark chapters of Uganda’s past, when security forces under Milton Obote and Idi Amin routinely abducted and executed citizens.
Ironically, it was these same atrocities that inspired Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his comrades to wage a liberation war in the early 1980s—promising never again would Ugandans live in fear of their government.

Today, nearly four decades since Museveni took power, such incidents leave citizens questioning whether the liberation struggle has come full circle.

A Nation on Edge

Public reaction has been swift and emotional. Many are calling for independent investigations and the immediate identification and prosecution of those involved.
Human rights defenders say the video is a glaring symbol of state regression, urging Parliament to summon security heads for explanation.

Despite Uganda’s constitutional guarantee of freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, scenes like these continue to erode public trust in law enforcement.

Uganda Today Editorial Disclaimer

This article is based on verifiable visual evidence and citizen accounts circulating online. Uganda Today has not independently identified the perpetrators or the exact location of the incident. The views expressed herein do not, in any measure, represent those of the Uganda Today editorial board. We publish this story in the public interest, in the spirit of transparency and human rights accountability.

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