Data not lost from BVR kits stolen by al Shabaab, says IEBC

Data collected during voter registration in Mandera county will not be lost after al Shabaab’s theft of BVR kits, the IEBC has said.

The militants stole the kits when they attacked Arabia police camp in Mandera East on Thursday. They also made away with guns and a police Land Cruiser.

More on this: Al Shabaab steal BVR kits, guns, police car in Arabia police post raid

“We fear three BVR kits may have been lost in the Mandera attack. But we expect no loss on registration data because of back-up procedures,” the electoral commission said via Twitter.

“If confirmed that the kits are lost, rest assured that voter data on them is encrypted and cannot be abused.”

The nationwide mass voter registration exercise will end on February 14. It targets four to six million voters.

The gunmen also destroyed communication masts in the area, breaking link between police officers who were at the post and commanders.

Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery said they overpowered 21 police officers forcing them to withdraw.

“We thank God no life was lost. We can’t control al Shabaab but we can respond and ensure we defeat this enemy,” he said.

He spoke in a meeting with National Assembly Security and Administration committee over the ministry’s 2016-17 Supplementary Budget estimates.

A 15-year-old boy was injured by a stray bullet during the shootout at the post located 30km from Mandera town.

The boy is said to have been sleeping in their house near the camp. He was taken to Mandera County Referral Hospital.

Also read: Fate of officers unknown after al Shabaab attack police post in Mandera

The police post attack comes days after an ambush at KDF’s base in Kulbiyow, Somalia, which left an unknown number of soldiers dead.

Al Shabaab released photos of the attack in which it claimed it killed 66 soldiers.

Source: The Star