Kenya: Five Police Officers Feared Dead in Kapenguria Attack

A contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) officers have been dispatched to the Kapenguria Police Station, where a suspected Al-Shabaab militant opened fire early Thursday morning.

Five police officers, including a senior officer, are among those killed in 3am incident.

Speaking to the Nation by phone, West Pokot County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga confirmed that Kapenguria OCS Vitalis Ochido was among the dead.


According to Mr Wanyanga, the suspect was booked at the police station on Wednesday.

He was arrested in Nakwijit, in North Pokot Sub-County, and was expected to appear in court Thursday morning.



The suspect, Omar Okwaki Eumod, is said to have planned his rescue from the cells before he seized a rifle from one of the officers and began shooting indiscriminately.



RESPONSE UNIT

The man is accused of recruiting young people from the region to join the militia group.

A helicopter carrying nine elite General Service Unit (GSU) who are part of the Recce Company landed in Kapenguria in efforts to subdue the gunman.

This is the second response unit to arrive at the scene, with Administration Police (AP) officers having already been deployed there.

Gunshots were heard from the police station as late as 10am.

It is alleged that when one police officer opened the cells to take in more suspects, Mr Omar snatched the officer’s gun and shot him dead before turning it to other police officers who responded to the gunshots.