A key suspect linked to the recent Garissa killings has been apprehended by police.
The assault occurred yesterday in the Bukureu vicinity on the outskirts of Garissa town, resulting in the tragic death of six individuals due to gunshots.
Providing a press briefing from his office today, John Otieno, the Regional Commissioner of North Eastern, disclosed that the captured suspect will collaborate with law enforcement to identify and locate his seven remaining accomplices.
Otieno detailed that the victims, who were en route to the Hulugho border town in a Toyota Probox, were intercepted by the attackers.
The assailants scrutinized their identities and subsequently executed them at close range.
Tragically, among those slain were two high school students who were on their journey home for the August holiday.
“We have successfully apprehended a significant suspect linked to the incident. Our interrogation efforts are ongoing, and we are confident that this individual will provide critical information that will aid in the apprehension of his partners in crime,” Otieno stated.
He continued, “I want to assure the residents of this area that the police are committed to pursuing the perpetrators relentlessly. We will ensure that they face justice and are held accountable for this heinous act.”
In addition, the Regional Commissioner issued a stern warning to those responsible for the attack and any other criminal activities within the region.
Otieno, joined by both county and regional security committees, revealed that an operation to recover illegally possessed firearms will soon be conducted. He urged individuals holding such weapons to surrender them to the authorities.
Expressing condolences to the families affected by the tragedy, the Regional Commissioner cautioned against retaliatory actions.
He stressed that the government will respond resolutely to any attempts to foster hostility between various clans in the larger Garissa and North Eastern region.
“As we grapple with the Al-Shabaab threat in the region, we will not be diverted by clan conflicts. We are prepared to address those responsible for the attacks, and regardless of their societal status, they will be subject to the full force of the law,” he affirmed.
Otieno noted that the government was collaborating closely with relevant stakeholders to find resolutions for the ongoing land disputes in the affected areas.
Today, the regional and county security teams convened to discuss the situation with the county leadership, in preparation for another meeting scheduled for Saturday. This forthcoming meeting will involve religious leaders and other elected officials.
Following postmortem examinations at Garissa referral hospital morgue, the victims’ bodies were released to their families for burial at a Muslim cemetery later in the evening.
