Two people have been killed and a house torched in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Taa Village, near Pandanguo in Witu Division, Lamu West.
The attack is said to have been orchestrated by eight heavily armed militants who wore military regalia at around 8 pm on Sunday.
Speaking to Nation.Africa at the scene of the incident, Taa Village headman Kennedy Luchu Wabwire said those killed were 35-year-old Mwanza Ali Nyae and 30-year-old Rai Bingo Rumba.
The house torched belongs to a National Police Reservist (NPR), Kahindi Mangi,50, who was also present during the time of the attack but managed to escape.
“There is tension here at the moment. Two people, all men, have been killed. One of them was tied on the hands from behind before he was shot in the head. The other one was also gunned down as he tried to escape. Bodies are here with us. They are yet to be removed by police who have already arrived at the scene,” said Mr Wabwire.
The NPR- Mr Mangi,50, thanked God for enabling him to escape unhurt during the night attack.
Mr Mangi told the Nation that at first, he saw a group of eight people who were wearing police and military clothes. Others wore helmets and chest guards.
“I asked them who they were but they didn’t respond. I shot in the air to scare them. They were undeterred. They surrounded my house. So, I escaped and hid on a maize farm nearby. They torched my house and everything that was inside, including my two motorcycles before they vacated the place,” said Mr Mangi.
Ms Rose Achieng, a resident of Taa called on the government to recruit additional NPR to bolster security in their village.
The scene of the attack at Taa Village where two people were killed and a house torched by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.
Photo credit: Kalume Kazungu I Nation Media Group
Taa Village borders the terror-prone Boni Forest where a multi-agency security Operation Amani Boni has been ongoing for the past eight years.
The operation, which was initially dubbed Linda Boni, is meant to flush out Al-Shabaab terrorists believed to be hiding inside the dense Boni forest.
Ms Achieng said the number of NPR officers currently serving in the area is low compared to that of locals that need the protection.
Taa village has about 78 households which translate to at least 300 people, all of whom are farmers from almost all the tribes of Kenya (cosmopolitan village).
“We have very few NPR officers here. There are less than ten. We need more of these armed NPRs to secure our village. I believe if we had enough NPRs, the two people wouldn’t have been killed,” said Ms Achieng.
Meanwhile, tension is high in Taa village and surrounding areas following the killing of the two men on Sunday night.
Taa village is located between Witu and Pandanguo and is about 12 kilometres from either of the two.
Contacted, Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia confirmed the attack but said he was yet to arrive at the scene before issuing a comprehensive statement on the same.
“I am at Witu and headed to the scene of the attack. I will give detailed information once I am there,” said Mr Macharia.
This is the second attack and killing to be witnessed in Lamu this year.
In early January, 15 people, including four GSU officers were killed and at least 10 houses were torched in suspected Al-Shabaab attacks that rocked Juhudi, Marafa, Salama, Mashogoni, Bobo-Sunkia, Milihoi, and surrounding villages, all in Lamu West Sub-County.
