Armed-robbery attack in Kakuma Four killed a man at Block V and injured three others.
Abdullahi A. was killed during robbery-involved violence at his residential house on the night of September 24, 2010. The same attackers had previously assaulted four other residents in their community. Abdullahi A. had fled the war-torn region of Mogadishu, Somalia, and crossed the border into Kenya to seek asylum with his family. The family was relocated from Daadab Camp to Kakuma last year.
Earlier that night, Abdullahi, who owns a small income-generating bread-baking oven, had prepared some wheat flour (yeast) to make bread in the morning. As a routine, he wakes up in the middle of the night to work during the early morning to distribute fresh breads each day. Unfortunately, he could not live to see the new day in which he had hoped to sell the bread.
An eyewitness who is also a relative and close neighbor of Abdullahi told KANERE how the family was attacked. “As usual he woke up around 3 am to start baking the breads. I heard when the gate was knocked loudly and swung open. I was not in a sleep. Since it was a temporary fence it took attackers few seconds and they were in the house. They were hungry and demanding money, mobile phones, and wheat flour,” said the eyewitness. ‘‘They opened all the houses in that compound before shooting Abdullahi with a bullet and quickly left the plot. I saw two armed with guns and three with other weapons” the eyewitness added.
The bullet was planted in the man’s right chest and he died shortly after on the way to the hospital. The assaulters took a bicycle, 2kg of wheat flour, and ready-baked biscuits, according to information obtained during the interview by KANERE.
The Overall Somali Chairlady also commented that the security in the community is better, but there is still no guarantee to this situation. “The two families were assisted and they were taken to the protection, but refugees always live in fear. The rescuing agency is trying to maintain peace whenever,” she said.
The investigation following the attackers revealed that they terrorized the group, then they went ahead to a house at Block F and beat up a family whom they found sleeping outside due to high humidity that night. They inflicted serious injuries that landed the family members in the hospital. “They were five men and very violent; they were demanding money and wheat flour which we lacked, I was beaten with the back of the gun together with my husband, and I am feeling pain all over my body,” said one victim in an interview at the IRC Refugee Hospital.
In a separate interview at Block D, Mr. M.R. complained to KANERE about the same attackers who had beaten him. He stated that he was beaten and now he cannot walk except with the support of a cane. He stated further that he was not assisted by anyone, including his local security who denied calling an ambulance to transport him to a hospital. He informed KANERE that he personally believed the denial of an ambulance was related to tribal differences that existed in Somali.
KANERE approached the IRC medical official for a citation, but only found the nurses at the hospital. “Insecurity has been on rise. They were both taken with X–ray and the results are ready. One victim, S.M., got two fractures in one hand and we shall do the Plaster of Paris for her very soon,” said an Ethiopian nurse on duty.