We survived Shabaab attack by the grace of God, says Mandera bus driver

Children look at the Makkah bus that was attacked by Al-Shabaab militants on December 21, 2015. The driver said it was by sheer luck that they survived a mass massacre. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Farah said he slowed down the bus as he was crossing a trench when three men appeared in front of him.
  • He said he was forced to stop as he could not speed off due to the bad road and that he had sustained bullet injuries in his left leg.
  • He said the bus was full and the non-Muslims were advised to hide under the seats and others asked to mingle with Muslims.

The driver of a bus that was attacked by Al-Shabaab militants in Mandera says it was by God’s will that he and the passengers lived to tell the tale.

Mr Shukri Farah confirmed that some Muslims in the bus gave their clothes to non-Muslims, preventing what could have been a massacre similar to the one in November last year, when 28 passengers were killed.

Speaking by telephone from Mandera Town on Tuesday, Mr Farah a Makkah Bus Company driver, said he had slowed down when approaching a trench.

“The road at that place is bad and when I slowed down, three men in military uniforms suddenly appeared from the bush,” Mr Farah said.

He added that he asked the conductor what KDF soldiers were doing there but before he got an answer, the men shot at the bus.

He stopped the vehicle as he had been hit in his left leg.

“I alerted the passengers about what was happening before the attackers got closer. We asked non-Muslims to cover their heads with their jackets as Muslim women gave their clothes to some young girls and other women,” he added.

HID UNDER THE SEATS

He said the bus was full and the non-Muslims were advised to hide under the seats or mingle with Muslims.

“After the passengers dressed like Muslims, it was difficult for the attackers to identify their targets. Fortunately, they did not get into the bus. I think it is because they were only four,” the driver said.

The vehicle had excess passengers because Mr Farah had picked up more from a bus that had broken down.

“It would have been difficult for the men to screen all the passengers. Time was not on their side for they seemed to know that police or soldiers usually escort passenger vehicles,” he added.

“These are bad people. One cannot dare negotiate with them. Muslim women gave their clothes to the Christians and on alighting, the Christians stood in the middle of the crowd but nobody said anything to the attackers.”

He said the men had communication devices similar to those used by the military or police officers.

“One of the men spoke on the radio when a lorry approached and a different group emerged from the bush to attack it,” he said.

He said a passenger who had run into the bush was killed when he returned and attempted to get into the bus.

“I think the terrorists hiding in the bushes chased him back since one of the four had a radio,” the driver added.

“We were asked to get into the bus after they failed to identify any non-Muslims among us.”

Mr Farah’s conductor also suffered a bullet wound.

The attackers killed one person in the lorry after he failed to recite a verse in the Quran.

Speaking by phone from Garissa on Tuesday, Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the situation was back to normal.

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims Secretary-General, Mr Adan Wachu, condemned the Monday attack and called on Kenyans to emulate the Muslims in the bus who stood by the Christian fellow passengers.