Four killed after defilement incident triggers inter-clan fight in Tana River

A defilement incident involving a 16-year-old girl at El Niqa in Bangale Sub-county in Tana River degenerated into clan conflicts involving two communities.

The conflict has since claimed four lives.

The four people, among them a five-year-old boy, were killed in the clashes between the Orma and Degodia.

The clash was triggered by the Wednesday morning arrest of two rape suspects by officers from Bangale police station.

In retaliation, people belonging to the suspects' community waylaid members of the victim's clan at a water point and attacked them with poisoned arrows, killing four on the spot.

Speaking to the press, Abdikadir Mohamed—a resident of the community that lost four people said the attackers had earlier warned of unspecified action if their people were not released from police custody.

“It all started when some people came to our village armed with pangas and arrows and threatened us that we would not stay here if those who were arrested were not released," Mohamed said.

"We told them the government is responsible for their arrests, and we were not involved in that matter, but they could hear none of it. Little did we know that they would end up killing our people."

During the burial of the four on Thursday afternoon, a sombre mood engulfed the area as the community members blamed the police for failing to take action on time since the threats were reported on time before the killings occurred.

“We reported the matter to the Bangale police station and even told them of earlier threats. All the police did was ask for fuel to go to the area of the scene. By the time they arrived at the scene, four people had already been killed,” he said.

Leaders who attended the burial ceremony at Tula cemetery called on the members of the public to remain calm and avoid retaliatory attacks while the authorities investigate the matter.

Speaking after the burial ceremony, former MPs Nuh Nassir (Bura), Rashid Kassim (Wajir East), and Ahmed Kolosh (Wajir West) challenged the security apparatus to expedite the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.

“This is very sad and should not have happened in the first place. Life is sacred, especially the life of a 5-year-old boy,” Kassim said.

He called on the security apparatus to apprehend those behind the incident.

“These are neighbouring communities who have a right to live in their lands. We do not have another Tana River county, so these communities must live in peace, and if there are issues, the government should come in and calm the tension,” he added.

The Tana River County security team led by David Koskey and Bura MP Yakub Adow visited the area and held a security meeting to defuse the rising tension.