The Governor of Bubanza ran into an ambush staged by unidentified armed people in the evening of Tuesday 15 August. The incident took place in Gihanga Commune along Bujumbura-Cibitoke road, in the west of Burundi. Police say no one was killed or injured in the attack.
Governor of Bubanza Province
Gunfire was heard yesterday evening at around 8 pm in Gihanga Commune of Bubanza Province on the National Road (RN5) commonly called Bujumbura-Cibitoke road, say Gihanga residents. They say a group of people armed with guns ambushed the vehicle of Tharcisse Niyongabo , Governor of Bubanza.
The governor said those who tried to murder him were not identified. He said he is going to collaborate with security forces to improve security on the Bujumbura-Cibitoke road.
Pierre Nkurikiye, the police spokesman, describes those who ambushed the vehicle of the Governor of Bubanza as armed robbers. “It’s a group of bandits. They are the ones who often ambush vehicles to steal passengers’ belongings”, Nkurikiye said.
He said that despite the rapid intervention of the security forces, the criminals were not identified. “The Governor’s bodyguards fired on the attackers and the latter retreated to the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.
He said the attack did not cause any damage except the governor’s vehicle which was hit by the bullets.
Nkurikiye denies rumors that the attack was allegedly carried out by Burundian rebels based on Congolese soil. According to Nkurikiye, the ambush staged yesterday on the RN5 did not target the Governor of Bubanza. “The criminals fired on the governor’s vehicle without knowing it. They had ambushed any vehicle that passes to steal passengers, as they often do, “said Nkurikiye.
A person was killed and another injured in an ambush on the same road on 24 July.
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