South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) arrested former Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater in Rumbek early Thursday morning, officials and family members confirmed.

Dongrin, dismissed from his post in August 2025 after serving since July 2024, was apprehended in a pre-dawn raid at his residence and immediately flown to Juba.

The specific charges against him remain undisclosed, but the arrest is the latest in a series of high-profile detentions in the country.

Lakes State Information Minister Paul Cabiet Ayang said the operation was conducted solely by central government NSS operatives around 5:00 a.m.

“It is the central government in Juba that arrested him, not Rumbek,” Ayang said, clarifying that local authorities were not involved.

A relative, Malou Mayom, said NSS personnel arrived in two pickup vehicles carrying a warrant. He suggested the arrest may be linked to ongoing investigations involving other senior officials, though no official government statement has been issued.

Dr. Dongrin previously served as deputy commissioner at the National Revenue Authority before his appointment as Finance Minister.

His six-month tenure ended during a cabinet reshuffle ordered by President Salva Kiir.

The detention follows the arrest earlier this week of Maj. Gen. Manasseh Machar Bol, a senior security official formerly at the Ministry of Petroleum, signaling a possible broader crackdown on political and financial figures.

The government has not yet confirmed whether the arrests are part of an anti-corruption drive, internal political realignment, or other investigations.

No formal charges or reasons for the detention have been publicly detailed.

Dr. Dongrin’s arrest has raised concerns among observers about the pace and transparency of recent security actions targeting former senior officials in South Sudan.