One killed and 29 other injured in grenade attack in Bujumbura

A grenade attack in Bujumbura killed one person and injured 29 others yesterday evening in Buyenzi, central Bujumbura. The police arrested three suspects for investigation.

On Thursday 17 August at around 8 pm, unknown assailants threw one grenade at each of two traditional bars selling banana wine on the same street in Buyenzi, Bujumbura. One customer died on the spot and 29 others were injured by shrapnel.

Staff at a Bujumbura hospital said that three out of 29 wounded may not survive.

“We were drinking banana wine in this bar at number 21. We heard a grenade explosion there at number 29. At the same time, another grenade exploded among us. As it was completely dark, the criminals were not identified A. H a victim of the attack, told Iwacu this morning at the scene of the attack. He called on the police to strengthen security.

N.J, a Buyenzi resident, described the attackers as “terrorists”. “They have no other intention than to create insecurity among the population,” he said.

Buyenzi inhabitants are gripped with fear. “At every moment we expect another attack. A similar attack was carried out on 7th Avenue in the same neighborhood. The attack caused two deaths, «a young woman said.

Pierre Nkurikiye, the spokesman for the police, said they had seized two grenade spoons at the scene of the crime. “This shows us that criminals live in the same neighborhood,” Nkurikiye said. He also said the police apprehended three suspects for investigation.

Nkurikiye also accused members of the joint security committee in Buyenzi of not collaborating with the security forces. “The attack was conducted just after the police officers made their night patrol of the same avenue. If the members of the joint safety committee were active, that crime would not have been committed,” Nkurikiye said.
The police, in cooperation with the administration and security committee members, will double their efforts to eradicate crime in Buyenzi, according to Nkurikiye.

Nkurikiye also said that criminals take advantage of darkness to commit these crimes. He said that authorities in charge of distributing electricity have promised that, in the near future, all Bujumbura neighborhoods will be illuminated. The police spokesman asked all bars’ owners to employ private security agents to ensure the safety of their customers.