Wajir town has always enjoyed a relative calm, save for instances of clan clashes, until the Kenyan army crossed over into Somalia in pursuit of Al Shabab militants. The following is a chronology of terror attacks in Wajir since the bloody Westgate attack in Nairobi. Note that this analysis does not include the numerous attacks carried out in the town before September. Police record shows there could be over ten attacks from 16th October through to 25th September. Shekhey Ahmed reports.
25th September 2013: One person was killed while five others got injured after armed men hurled explosives at a food kiosk near Wajir community library. Their target was said to have been police officers on patrol.
14th Dec 2013: One person was killed and 17 others injured in grenade attack near Baraza Park. Minutes after the explosion, six armed men believed to be the masterminds of the blast attack opened fire at fleeing people injuring more.
A week earlier 8 people among them security officers were killed by gunmen in Liboi.
19th Dec 2013: 2 people were shot dead and four others injured after gunmen stormed and indiscriminately shot at them at their house in Township area. Among the injured was a 12-year old girl who sustained gunshot wounds on her left hand.
2nd May 2014: Gunmen armed with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) attacked the Kenya power station in Wajir targeting the fuel reservoir. The attackers riding on a Toyota Probox also hit at the radiator engine leading to a massive fuel leakage. They also attacked a local NGO headquarters in Wajir. Surprisingly, similar attacks of the same fashion were carried out in Mandera at the same time though two of the attackers were killed by police reservist on patrol.
17 May 2014: A civilian and a military officer were seriously injured after gunmen entered their business premises in Soko Mjinga and shot at them before fleeing the scene.
8th July 2014: One person was killed and six others injured in a grenade attack near Baraza Park where several people usually gather to buy Miraa and other food stuffs.
31st July 2014: One person was injured following a grenade attack in Wajir town. The grenade took a while before going-off, giving the scared people time to flee the scene.
19th September 2014: 8 people were injured in a twin blast in Wajir’s south C residence. The assailants were targeting three men buying food stuff from a kiosk. Ten minutes later, another explosion went off injuring four more people who were gathered at the scene of the preceding blast.
1st Dec 2014: Ngamia club, a nightclub in Wajir central was attacked when assailants armed with firearms and explosives ambushed the entertainment joint. They killed a reveler while injuring 13 other before they were repelled.
No one has so far been prosecuted for the above attacks. Similarly, no orgernisation or person has claimed them. Police and the local political leaders believe the attacks are perpetrated by local businessmen.