Three people have lost their lives after a man detonated an explosive in Kamloma village in Nyakach, Kisumu County.
According to the police report, the incident took place in the late hours of Tuesday, December 7. The police stated that they are probing how the man, popularly referred to as Pope got hold of the explosives.
While confirming the incident, Nyakach OCPD, Daniel Chacha, revealed the man is a suspected suicide bomber with preliminary investigations indicating that he used an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
Additionally, the police disclosed that the other two victims who lost their lives in the incident were an elderly couple who have been identified as Petro Onyango and Mary Atieno.
It is reported that the man walked into the homestead of the couple and started questioning them. In the middle of his questioning, the explosive is reported to have gone off.
“Then the Al Shabaab suspect started questioning them on things that did not understand...Suddenly an IED he was carrying exploded killing the suspect on the spot,” read the police report.
Police also state that the daughter of the elderly couple was also injured in the incident. Adding that she is in a critical condition.
“Onyango was rushed to the Nyakach sub-county Hospital at Pap Onditi but was pronounced dead on arrival whereas Nancy Aoko(daughter) was taken to Katito Hospital in serious condition,” read the report in part.
In an interesting twist, the police also reported that the suspect was responsible for an explosion that happened on December 17, 2020, in Katito town in Kisumu County. At the time, he was reported to have attacked his girlfriend.
“After the Katitio incident, the suspect disappeared to an unknown location just to resurface today to attack people at Kaloma village. Today’s incident is taken as an act of terrorism,” stated the police.
This incident barely comes days after police on November 30, arrested a 22-year-old suspected to be a terror suspect in Nandi County. In the police report, it was revealed that the lady confessed to having knowledge of how to use explosives.
"The villagers’ fears were confirmed when during interrogation after being arrested, the woman told detectives that she had been in Somalia for two years after allegedly being kidnapped by members of the Alshabab terror network in Kilifi, in 2019," read the police statement then.
Kenyans have been cautioned to remain vigilant during the festive season due to the rising incidents of terror and uprising in neighboring countries.
“His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed internal security institutions to heighten vigilance and surveillance across the country following the unfolding security situation in the region,” read the statement from State House.
