LAMU COUNTY: Heavily armed gunmen Sunday hijacked a truck ferrying food supplies at Koreiny, near Mpeketoni along the Mombasa-Lamu highway.
The attack came as an aid agency withdrew its staff from the area due to security concerns.
According to the owner of the goods, Kotecha Wholesale Ltd, the militia looted goods worth Sh900,000 that was being ferried to Lamu from Mombasa.
"We lost the GPS near Mapanya Social Hall near Mpeketoni. The truck was transporting 200 bags of sugar, 15 cartons of fresh milk dry cells, 40 bags of rice and tissue paper," said Noel Nyambu, the Kotacha Whole Suppliers, Mombasa branch manager.
The Kenya Red Cross also confirmed that there was another attack in Jimi, Pandanguo, where the attackers stole maize from a one acre land as police said the gang may have run out of foods supplies.
"They attacked Jima and stole maize from a one acre land. The place is not safe at all," said Mohamed Abdhulkadir, Lamu County Red Cross manager.
He said in the two incidents, no one was injured but it has heightened fears and many people are fleeing from their homes to centralised areas like in Pandanguo Township.
"People even from Lamu Island are fleeing. We will as from tomorrow (Monday) start supplying food and other aid in Pandanguo, where over 800 people from 180 families have moved from their houses," said Mr Abdhulkadir in a telephone interview from Lamu.
Red Cross said families from areas like Muvuno Kilate, Kaisae Nyasa and Nyumba ya Muti in Hindi, have fled their homes and are camping either in the Hindi police station or nearby churches.
He said more people are fleeing Lamu Island. He added that there is transport crisis as some bus companies have scaled down their services to Lamu for fear of attacks.
The Standard, however, witnessed police escorts of the few buses that were operating the route.
Meanwhile, the World Vision has closed its office in Hindi and relocated all its staff to Kilifi. World Vision operates water and sanitation programmes.
According to officials of the organisation, the closure was due to insecurity and that they will reopen once the place becomes safe.
