Armed gang kills watchman at girls' school in Garissa

Police in Garissa are investigating the death of a school watchman killed in Garissa town on Thursday night.

According to the police report, four armed men attacked two watchmen on guard at Ummu Salama Girls Secondary School, resulting in the death of one of the watchmen, Ali Dahir Noor, aged 49, while the other, identified as Hussein Farah, escaped with serious head injuries.

The police incident report further indicated that the assailants also broke into the principal's office and stole Sh102,500.

"The deceased's body, which had multiple injuries on the head and right hand, was moved to Garissa County Referral hospital's morgue for preservation and autopsy, while the injured is currently admitted at the same facility in fair condition," police said.

They said they were investigating the incident.

Responding to the incident, North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno has also ordered for immediate deployment of armed security officers to schools in Garissa town.

Speaking when the regional and county security team visited the school, he ordered the security heads to immediately deploy security officers at the affected school, while other secondary schools in Garissa town also have armed security officers in a move to improve the safety of the schools.

He noted that several other incidents occurred before, citing the death of another school watchman at Iftin Girls Secondary in Garissa town that occurred in September 2024.

"We are deploying armed security personnel in this school, and the criminals targeting schools will not go away with these heinous attacks," he warned.

He expressed concern about insecurity incidents in Garissa town and the neighbouring Madogo town in Tana River, hinting, an accomplice among the gangs operating in the two neighbouring towns.

He added that security teams in Garissa town and the neighbouring Madogo town will jointly work together to flush out the criminal gangs.