Residents in parts of Gicumbi District say they are increasingly concerned about their safety following alleged attacks by a group of people who reportedly pose as “Abarembetsi,” ambushing travellers, assaulting them and taking their belongings.
Police say one suspect has been arrested, while efforts to apprehend others believed to be involved are ongoing.
Residents in Manyagiro, Cyumba and Rubaya sectors claim the group moves together and has been involved in a series of attacks, allegedly using traditional weapons to intimidate and injure people.
One resident said the incidents have become a source of fear in the community.
“You hear that someone has been attacked or that someone has been tied to a tree and robbed. There was a young man who was tied to a tree and had his bicycle taken,” the resident said.
Another resident, who said he was injured during an encounter with one of the suspected attackers, recalled being confronted without warning.
“I had not spoken to him or done anything to him. Suddenly, he raised a machete towards me, and when I tried to protect myself, I was injured,” he said.
Residents say the alleged attacks have made some people reluctant to travel along certain routes, particularly in areas near Rwanda’s border with Uganda.
They claim the suspected attackers target people on the roads, assault them and take their possessions, leaving residents worried about their safety.
CIP Ignace Ngirabakunzi, Police spokesperson for the Northern Province, told Radio 1 that one suspect had been arrested and that investigations were continuing to identify and apprehend others suspected of involvement.
He urged residents to share information with law enforcement and avoid concealing information about people suspected of committing the alleged offences.
Despite the arrest, residents in the affected areas say more security measures are needed to restore confidence and allow them to travel without fear.
