Five police officers injured as car is hit by explosive in Garissa

At least five police officers from the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) are nursing injuries after a vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a roadside explosive in Ijara, Garissa County.

While confirming the Sunday incident, Ijara Deputy County Commissioner Willy Cheboi said the officers were heading to Sangailu from Masalani when the explosion happened.

“Our officers encountered an incident of an explosion along the Ijara Sangailu road and all the victims were rescued and taken to Manda Bay for medical attention,” Mr Cheboi said by phone.

He said the five officers were escorting a government official to Hulugho.

“An officer from the National Council for Nomadic Education had requested for security escort towards Hulugho only for the officers to be hit by an explosive along the way,” he said.

The officers were escorting Mr Aron Yussuf, the CEO of National Council for Nomadic Education and a politician on campaign trail as indicated in a report made at Ijara Police Station.

They were in a convoy of three vehicles led by the police vehicle that was hit by the explosive.

Vehicle partially damaged

According to Mr Cheboi, the police vehicle was partially damaged, a sign that the explosive was detonated prematurely.

Only the front part of the Toyota Land Cruiser was damaged by what the security agencies believe was a homemade bomb.

“Despite the injuries sustained by the officers, the device only hit the front part of the vehicle, a sign that it was prematurely activated,” he said.

In most cases, an IED is remote-controlled by an assailant hiding in nearby bushes or set to explode on any minor activation by a vehicle running over it.

Kenya Defence Forces officers responded to the incident but no arrests were made according to the government official.

No public service vehicle or private cars are allowed to use the insecure Ijara Hulugho road without armed police escort.