At least 20 people have been arrested for investigations following an attack that took place at a truck depot in the North East of Bujumbura city this Tuesday 06 February, 2018 at around 8:20 p.m.
The truck depot where the grenade attack occurred
“I was in this bar when I heard a strange sound .In few minutes, the police were here. They put people into three groups: Tanzanians, Somalians and Burundians,” said a barman met at a bar near the truck depot.
He goes on saying that Burundians who were on the scene of the attack without working there were arrested. “After the police had gathered us into 3 groups, they set foreigners free and forced Burundians who were drinking to get into police vehicles”, he said.
Drivers met at the truck depot, mainly foreigners; demand that security be strengthened in the area. “We are foreigners here. We are here because we have brought petrol to the country. If they fail to protect us, we won’t come back”, said a Tanzanian driver.
Another driver deplores the brutality of the police. “I was peacefully drinking my beer and when the police arrived, they began to beat us. It is normal that police come for investigation but why would they ill-treat us?” said a Tanzanian met on the spot.
Pierre Nkurunkiye, the spokesperson for the ministry of security, confirms the attack. “There was a grenade attack but no great damage was assessed. Only the window on the side of the conductor’s seat was broken”, he says.
Nkurikiye says 20 people were arrested after the grenade attack for investigations. “They are mostly prostitutes and are victims of being in the wrong place at a wrong time”.
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