Police react after rumour of terror attack on Kitui school

Police on Sunday combed bushes in Zombe in Kitui County, after they were alerted that five men were about to attack Zombe AIC Girls Secondary School. On Sunday evening, Zombe Mwitika MCA Eunice Katheke  told the Nation that the panic had been triggered by a minor who said five armed had sought water from her parents’ home and told her to run away after she gave it to them.

Ms Katheke said police were in control and assured parents that their girls at the school were safe.

Responding to the alarm, police officers combed the nearby bushes and at one stage, gunshots were heard.

By 9pm, police reinforcements were still arriving from Kitui County headquarters. Other police officers were guarding the school’s dormitories.

A senior Kitui politician, who did not want to be quoted commenting on the matter because of its sensitivity, said a county assembly member had told him it was not clear whether there had been an attempted attack on the school or whether the whole thing was a hoax.

The politician said of late Kitui had been awash with talk of an impending terrorist attack, the last one being about South Eastern Kenya University in Kitui.

On April 2, terror group Al-Shabaab killed 142 students at the Garissa University College, a constituent college of Moi University Eldoret. Since then two more colleges have been closed in the area.

On April 24, the Garissa Kenya Medical Training College was closed over insecurity,the college offered nursing courses to over 250 students. Its principal, Mr Omar Osman, said the decision was made after the area county commissioner said the government did not have enough no security personnel to be deployed to the institution.

A day later on April 25, the Migori Teachers Training College was closed over insecurity.

Migori County Police Commander David Kirui had said they were in possession of “valuable” information regarding a potential terrorist attack in the region.

The quick response indeed is a welcome move since it shows the governments' commitment to prevent more deaths due to terrorists attacks that has been rampant in the country and threats that have been recieved.

Reference : www.nation.co.ke