Suspected Al Shabaab militants carjack a civilian vehicle in Mandera

A vehicle belonging to a Mandera resident has been carjacked by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.

The Hilux model, hired by a local organisation to serve the county health department, was hijacked with two people aboard while transporting measles vaccine to Falama health center in Mandera South.

Confirming the incident, health department boss Mohamud Eda said the pick-up was on an outreach mission to Falama facility before it was hijacked.

“The director of public health nursing has sent a motorbike from Elram to Falama that confirmed the incident. The pick-up was hijacked while on its way to pick up health staff,” he said.

The county CEC has, however, denied that report saying it was not carrying any health department items.

He added that no health worker was aboard the vehicle before it crossed over to Somalia.

“It was hijacked on its way with only the driver inside,” he said.

The vehicle left Kotulo town this morning and was being used to transport measles vaccine across all the facilities in the sub-county ahead of a planned measles vaccination exercise planned for December 9.

It still remains unknown whether the exercise in Kotulo sub-county will kick off as scheduled.

Early last month, an ambulance belonging to Mandera County government was carjacked along Lafey-Elwak road and the efforts to rescue it were borne no fruits.

The Kotulo deputy county commissioner, Elijah Maranga, has declined to confirm today’s incident civilian and he instead referred The Standard Team to his bosses who are out of the county.

Member of County Assembly representing Kotulo ward, Mohamed Rashid Golo, has condemned the incident and asked the government to do a follow-up and also restore peace and order in the area

Source: standard media