Major riots broke out in Marsabit town on Saturday as area residents protested the alleged abduction of local Sheikh Guyo Gosa.
The Sheikh was teaching madrasa early in the morning when law enforcement officers in plainclothes came to take him away.
According to area residents, the officers even beat up small children who tried to stop them from taking the Sheikh.
Being the 5th time the Sheikh had been abducted, angry residents took to the streets where they lit tire fires on the roads while others vandalized bars and a number of buildings in the area.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Marsabit resident and eye-witness Mamo Galgallo stated: "It's unconfirmed but they are saying the Sheikh is at Turbi police station. People were angry because this is the 5th time he has been abducted."
[caption caption="Scenes at Marsabit during the riots"]
[/caption]
Galgallo divulged that the riots took an ugly turn when vandals took advantage of the chaos to raid some establishments.
Most bars in Marsabit were raided while one was burnt down.
"All the bars in Marsabit have been vandalized.
"Mountain Bar in Marsabit was burnt down," Galgallo revealed.
Windows of a Catholic church were also broken.
Police who attempted to quell the protests were met with stones and eventually retreated.
They were accused of using live bullets and harassing journalists who tried to capture the events.
[video:
@Ma3Route protesters burning tires in marsabit town. pic.twitter.com/zNNNmKkjx3
— Jackkija (@jakobo2030) January 13, 2018
]
[caption caption="The church whose windows were broken"]
[/caption]
