.jpg)
A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed on at least 10 terror-prone villages in Lamu owing to recurrent attacks and killings by suspected al Shabaab militants.
At least six people have been killed while 11 houses were torched in the affected villages in a span of two weeks.
The villages where curfew has been imposed include Widho, Salama, Juhudi, Marafa, Mashogoni and Ukumbi-all in Lamu West subcounty.
Other areas affected by the curfew are Bobo-Sunkia, Safirisi, Nyatha, Mavuno, Poromoko and their environs.
Lamu county commissioner Louis Rono on Friday during a visit to the area announced movement restrictions for residents in the disturbed villages starting from 7pm to 6am for an unspecified period of time.
The administrator stressed that the curfew will enable security agencies in Lamu to conduct effective operations to eliminate criminals who have been terrorising residents.
He asked members of the public to cooperate with the security agencies working in the county and to share information on suspicious persons and activities.
“I want to condole with the family of the old man who was burnt inside his house. I want to, as well, say sorry to the NPR officer who was injured during the attack at Juhudi Primary Camp on Wednesday at dawn,” Rono said.
“Due to the recurrent insecurity incidents, I want to declare that all terror-prone villages are under restricted movement. Let people stay indoors from 7pm to 6am. We won’t allow anyone to walk around past the stipulated hours.”
He said those who will not adhere to the directive will be treated as criminals.
The most recent terror attack and killing witnessed in Lamu was on Wednesday this week.
During the morning attack, at least 20 armed militants raided Salama Block 17 and Widho villages at around 2am, and set a house on fire with the caretaker inside. The caretaker was identified as Lucas Mwang’ombe.
They also torched four other houses.
The militants also proceeded to the Juhudi Primary School, where people displaced by the recent spate of attacks are camping and tried to force their way into the camp but were repulsed by National Police Reservists (NPR) who were guarding it.
One reservist was shot in the shoulder during the dawn ambush.
Since the Wednesday attack, security agencies, including the police from various units such as the General Service Unit (GSU) and the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers have been deployed to the villages to end the attacks.
On June 24, at least 30 armed assailants raided Salama and Juhudi villages between 7.30pm and 10pm, dragged people from their houses, tied their legs and hands with nylon ropes behind their backs before slitting their throats.
In January 2022, Widho village was attacked by al Shabaab men who hacked to death six people and burnt down at least 10 houses.
The government had then imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew after declaring the same villages as a disturbed zone.
The curfew existed for three months before it was lifted in April 2022. BY THE STAR