Family mourns woman killed by Shabaab in Lamu attack

Ms Jackline Njeri who was killed when Al-Shabaab militants attacked a police escort convoy in Nyongoro, Lamu County on January 13, 2108. She will be buried in Nyeri County. PHOTO | MOHAMED AHMED | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The 35 year-old mother was working at Uzima clinic in Mpeketoni, Lamu.

  • Njeri informed her boss of her journey to Garsen and promised to come back later in the day.

  • Dr Muchiri described Ms Njeri as a hardworking and responsible person.

  • Her body will be transported to her home in Othaya, Nyeri County for burial .

The family of a woman who was killed in an attack by Al-Shabaab militants in Nyongoro, Lamu County is devastated by the death.

Ms Jackline Njeri, a mother of one, was shot dead in an attack by more than 50 militants who laid an ambush on police officers who were escorting passenger buses.

Ms Njeri, a laboratory technician, was heading to Garsen Police Station when she met her death.

The 35 year-old mother was working at Uzima clinic in Mpeketoni, Lamu.

“She was heading to the police station to follow up her report regarding an accident which she was involved in in December last year,” said her husband Jackson Wambugu, a secondary school teacher.

Her boss, Dr Reuben Muchiri, said that morning, Njeri informed him of her journey to Garsen and promised to come back later in the day.

“I received the sad news at around 12.30pm. We did not know if she had hiked a lift on the police vehicle. It is unfortunate I have lost one of our reliable staff,” said Dr Muchiri who has worked with Njeri for the last five years.

HIKED LIFT

Ms Njeri had been given a lift by the police officers before they were attacked and their two vehicles set ablaze.

During the incident five police officers were seriously injured and rushed to different hospitals in Manda and Witu.

Dr Muchiri described Ms Njeri as a hardworking and responsible person who was in charge of the laboratory at his outpatient clinic.

“She is like a flower that has been plucked before it blossomed. She was a young and promising woman. This is a blow to us and the community she was serving. We will be affected by her death,” Dr Muchiri said.

The body is at Mpeketoni mortuary as the family plans to transport it to her home in Othaya, Nyeri County for burial .

Dr Muchiri called on the government to intensify security in the region saying the situation has put “our lives at risk”.

“We need to be assured of our security here. We cannot continue like this, losing our beloved ones each year,” he added.