A major operation was launched after a gang ambushed and killed a government driver before hijacking and fleeing with his official car in Kamor area, Mandera County.
The incident happened on Saturday August 10, officials said.
It is yet to be recovered by Sunday morning amid efforts to get it back.
The gunmen believed to be al Shabaab terrorists were armed with pistols when they carjacked a government Land Cruiser belonging to Deputy County Commissioner for Mandera East, Patrick Meso.
County Commissioner Henry Ochako said the attackers ambushed the driver at Kamor in Mandera town, killing him before fleeing with the vehicle in the 3 pm incident.
The attackers fled with the vehicle toward the Somalia border, leaving the body of the deceased at the scene.
The deceased comes from the area, officials said adding he was sold out to the terrorists by locals.
A woman who was on board was spared and managed to jump out of the moving car.
Mandera Deputy Director Enforcement and Head of the county installation Abdikadir Baricha said they had been made aware of an unfortunate event that occurred earlier today, involving the hijack of a land cruiser belonging to the County Commissioner in the Ali-bililiqa area of Kamor location.
“Regrettably, the driver lost his life during the incident, and the vehicle was later driven towards the Somalia border by unknown individuals suspected to be al shabaab.”
“It is imperative that all county drivers prioritize safety protocols and restrict unnecessary parking of county vehicles in town or bulas. Please note that the current security situation in Mandera town is unpredictable. Our ministries and departmental heads need to advise the drivers under their command,” he said.
He urged the county drivers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.
He advised that if one finds any suspicious items placed within county installations or surrounding areas to report for their safety before interfering with it.
This incident comes in the wake of several attacks suspected to be by al-Shabaab militants.
On July 24, five people were injured in an explosion at an eatery in Mandera town.
On July 11, an ambush by suspected al Shabaab militants resulted in the deaths of five Special Operations Group (SOG) members and left six others injured near the Banisa/Derkale border in Mandera West.
Earlier, on April 5, six people were killed and five injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the police station in Elwak town, Mandera County.
Another similar incident occurred on March 25, where four people were killed in an explosion at a hotel near a police station in Mandera town.
The area is near the Kenya-Somalia border, which is usually breached by terror group who come and attack in the region and escape back.
More personnel have been deployed in the area in effort to tame the attacks.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by locals.
Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.
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