Dusk to dawn curfew imposed on Mandera after latest terror attack
The government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Mandera, following the latest terror attack that left 12 people dead on Tuesday.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Major Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery through a gazette notice on Thursday issued the directives of the curfew.
“This order may be cited as Public Order (Curfew) (Mandera County), Order 2016, and shall come into effect from 27th October 2016, to 27th December 2016, from 6.30 pm to 6.30 am,” the notice read in part.
According to the CS, areas that will be affected by the curfew are Mandera Town, Omar Jillo, Arabia, Fino, Lafey Kotulo, Elwak and the environs of the said locations extending to 20 kilometers from the Kenya-Somalia border.
The curfew shall affect everyone who resides within the sub-county shall except under in accordance with the terms and conditions of a written permit granted by the respective Deputy County Commissioner for the affected areas, remain indoors in the premises at which they reside or at such other premises authorised.
OVERNIGHT ATTACK
Among the 12 victims killed during the overnight attack at Bishaaro Hotel by suspected Al-Shabaab gunmen were 10 people who arrived in the town on Monday to stage plays for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam candidates.
The attackers used improvised explosive devices to break the metallic doors at the lodge before shooting the 12 dead in their rooms. Each room in the hotel accommodated four to six people.
Meanwhile, a court in Mandera on Thursday morning allowed officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) to hold for 10 days the caretaker of the hotel where the incident occurred.
According to an affidavit sworn by Police Constable Stephen Opondo, Abdirahman Ali, 21, who was arrested on October 25, is suspected to have aided the attackers.
It is alleged that Mr Ali did not sleep in the lodge on the fateful day, as he usually did, but instead spent the night in a room 15 metres from the lodge, his usual place of work.
In the affidavit, Constable Opondo stated that Mr Ali is suspected of engaging in organised criminal activities in Mandera Town.
