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Playing children pick grenade, take it to chief’s office

They knew it was an explosive and decided to take it to authorities

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by CYRUS OMBATI

News04 October 2022 - 11:54

In Summary


  • Officials were shocked that the children knew the object was dangerous.
  • Police were later called and took the explosive for safe detonation.
A grenade

A group of children escaped death after they picked up a rocket-propelled grenade from a field in the Golicha area, Elwak, Mandera County.

The children were grazing their livestock when they stumbled on the explosive.

They picked it up and delivered the same to a local chief’s office.

Officials were shocked that the children knew the object was dangerous.

Police were later called and took the explosive for safe detonation.

Last week, three children were injured in the same area when an abandoned explosive device exploded on them.

The children were playing in the area when one of them hit the explosive that has since been established to be a grenade.

The children are in hospital with multiple leg injuries.

Police say most of the explosives are abandoned by suspected terrorists from Somalia who are roaming in the area.

North Eastern police boss George Seda said they are aware some of the explosives have been abandoned there by terrorists to cause harm to locals.

"We urge all concerned parties to be careful, especially in areas near the border where these explosives could be abandoned," he said.

He added they have deployed experts to comb the areas for the possible discovery of more of the devices. The officers will also educate locals on the objects.

The area is near the main Kenya-Somalia border which is usually breached by al-Shabaab terrorists who attack at will.

Terrorists have been targeting security installations in a series of incidents and destroying them.

The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by residents.

The terrorists at times plant explosives on the routes used by security agencies and attack them.

Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.

In Laisamis, Marsabit County, two boys who were grazing livestock stumbled on a grenade in a field.

The boys were in the Kamboe area when they found the device at the weekend, officials said.

They alerted police after saying the metal ball-like object could be an explosive which was confirmed to be a grenade.

The object was later detonated by experts who were called to the scene. The source of the object is yet to be known.

Meanwhile, a teacher was shot and injured in an attack on a school bus by suspected bandits in the Laismis area, Marsabit County.

The teacher from Sasura Secondary School was in the company of students on a trip when they came under attack.

Police said the teacher was hit in the hand and that no other student, driver or teacher was injured in the drama. The attackers escaped. They wanted the bus to stop but the driver sped off under attack.

The area is facing a drought that has prompted bandits to roam there in search of food and water.

Dozens of animals are stolen and villagers attacked by gunmen who are rarely found to face justice.


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