Boda boda riders attacked several
Embu university students on Friday to avenge the injury of their colleague.
The attackers invaded a hostel at Kangaru village in Embu West, beat up students, stole several items and set a room on fire.
Reports indicated they did so after a group of learners burned the motorcycle of their colleague and attempted to kill him on theft allegations.
Jacob Njue's
motorcycle was destroyed on Thursday night; a group of students claimed he was a member of a gang that had been stealing laptops and mobile phones from them.
A crowd cornered the 25-year-old rider after he dropped off a passenger and beat him up.
The University of Embu students' hostel that boda boda riders invaded on November 24, 2017. /REUBEN GITHINJI
Area chief Moses Munyi said
that after clobbering Njue, the students removed his trouser, set it on fire and threw it on him. He said the man was left in critical condition.
The chief said he and police officers dispersed the students, saved the rider and took him to
Embu Level Five Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Munyi said the students had been complaining about theft by people who flee on boda bodas.
He said that from Thursday night, transport was paralysed on Embu-Meru highway as the learners and boda and boda operators engaged in running battles.
The entrance to University of Embu as pictured on November 24, 2017. REUBEN GITHINJI
The students reportedly outnumbered the riders who then retreated and went to River Side hostel the next day. They broke windows using stones before beating up students and stealing from them.
The fire they set was put out but a room had been destroyed by that time.
Police were called to help restore calm and
Embu police boss Francis Sang said security was beefed up in and outside the university.
"The two groups resolve to end the enmity," Sang said, and asked them not to take matters into their own hands.
He urged them to hand suspected criminals over to police.
