Africa-Press – Tanzania. POLICE Force have confirmed that no criminal activities including terrorism are in the areas of Kibiti, Mkuranga and Rufiji districts in Coast Region.
Police Spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) David Misime said that they conducted a special operation in the districts to flush out criminals involved in armed robbery and terrorism that might be living there.
“As you may recall, we saw unprecedented incidences of violent crimes, intermittent security challenges including armed robberies and terrorist acts in Kibiti and Rufiji Districts from 2014 to 2017. So, we conducted this operation from 31st July–2nd August this year to make sure the areas are safe,” he pointed out.
SACP Misime further said the exercise was done with collaboration with other security forces and residents, where suspects were arrested and weapons seized, adding that the areas are now safe and villagers going about their activities undisturbed. In specific, he said they focused in Rungungu and Nyambunda villages Kibiti district as well as Bupu and Mamndimkongo areas in Mkuranga District.
His list also included Nyamitumba, Ngomboroni and Kifuru villages in Rufiji district, adding that it was smoothly conducted with the villagers showing cooperation to identify the criminals in their midst.
However, he called upon the villagers to continue working with police to arrest the criminals, adding every citizen has a right to own property without fearing being robbed.
“Kibiti and Rufiji districts have no history of organized and serial violent crimes…but between 2015 and 2017, the two districts saw some violent incidences on an unprecedented scale,” said the cop.
The security operation in Kibiti was launched after the spate of killings, where at least 11 local government leaders in the region were killed, in what analysts said was strategic elimination of people believed to have disclosed information about the suspected Islamists or their accomplices to the police.
