Three teachers killed in Wajir Shabaab attack

Two non-local teachers in Wajir were killed Friday morning, alongside the wife of one of them, when suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked Qarsa Primary School in the county.

Another teacher was injured in the 1am attack. The teacher is said to have suffered bullet wounds in his hand.

Wajir County Police Commander Stephen Ng’etich confirmed the attack, adding that they had sent security officers to assess the situation.

“Early this morning, we received reports that there was an attack on Qarsa Primary School where two teachers lost their lives,” he said.

Wajir AP commandant Mohamed Sheikh added that the group also set an improvised explosive device (IED) on the route to the school.

The IED hit one of the security vehicles that was responding to the attack but no officer was injured.

“I can confirm that one of our vehicles was partly hit by an IED that had been buried on the route by the group, but all our officers are in good condition,” he said.

By 8am, the three bodies were still at the school.

ATTACKS
The attack comes a week after suspected Shabaab militia tried to raid a special forces camp in Kutulo but were repulsed by officers at the camp.

Further reports indicated that several bodies of the militants were later found.

Three attacks have been carried out by the Somalia-based militant group in the region since the beginning of this year.

The first attack was in January where a Safaricom communication mast was destroyed, paralysing communication.

Due to insecurity in the area, teachers hired from outside the region are reported to have started fleeing neighbouring schools, while others have threatened to down their tools.

PROTEST
Shadrack Bundi, vice-chair of Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, Wajir branch, said that if no action is taken within seven days they will carry out a major demonstration in the county.

He called on the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Dr Fred Matiang’i, together with county administration to act fast in addressing the security issue.

In 2015, after a bus attack in Mandera where most of the victims were non-locals, teachers from various schools in North Eastern region left.

The Teachers Service Commission identified the slain teachers as Mr Seth Oluoch Odada and Mr Kevin Shari. Also killed was Mr Odada’s wife, Caroline.

The commission’s chief executive, Ms Nancy Macharia, said the bodies were received at Wilson Airport, Nairobi, and taken to Chiromo Mortuary.

The killings sparked protests in Wajir Town with residents demanding action.