No bus will be allowed to ply terror-prone Northeastern routes without a security escort.
Regional coordinator Mohamed Birik on Saturday in Garissa that said all drivers must comply to guarantee the safety of travellers on Garissa-Holugho, Garissa-Liboi and Garissa-Wajir roads, among other routes all the way to Mandera.
His warning came barely a week after 11 passengers were killed by al Shabaab militants who ambushed a Mandera-bound bus in Kotulo area, Wajir county. The seven militants ordered the passengers out and grouped them into two — locals and nonlocals, before attacking the latter.
Nine of the victims escaped. Three of the escapees suffered serious gunshot injuries and bled to death in thickets. The eight nonlocals who remained behind were ordered to lie facedown and summarily executed. The attackers then ordered the locals to proceed with their journey.
The crew members drove to the nearby Kotulo police station where they reported the incident. Eleven people have since been arrested, including the driver and conductor of the vehicle.
Birik said Garissa, Wajir and Mandera security and intelligence committees are under strict instructions to enforce the directive.
“We don’t want to take chances with the lives of Kenyans. It is unfortunate that this directive has all along been there but bus operators seem to have ignored it. This time round, we won't allow anyone to get scot-free," he said.
A senior investigation officer dealing with the Kotulo attack told The Star in confidence that the arrested bus crew are suspected to have aided the militants to carry out the attack and could be charged with murder.
"We are making good progress and from the information that we have gathered, the driver and his conductor and a passenger on the bus have a case to answer. There is a high possibility that we may charge them with murder,” the officer said.
The militants have taken advantage of the Christmas festivities to target non-locals travelling to their native homes. Some locals are also believed to aid the attackers by passing on information on which bus is carrying more non-locals so they can maximise casualties.
(Edited by F'Orieny)
