Details of the Friday, January 7, bandit attack that saw four police officers in Lamu lose their lives after they were shot dead by suspected militants have emerged.
According to a police report seen by K24 Digital, the police Land Rover which had four GSU officers on board was the lead escort vehicle from Mpeketoni to Gamba when the fatal bandit attack happened.
“They had already escorted vehicles from Gamba to Mpeketoni and they were coming to pick other vehicles from Ndeu roadblock for onwards escort to Gamba. Their Land Cruiser which was in front, GK B 629Y was torched by the said bandits,” the police report read in part.
Police officers attached to Hindi Police Station rushed to the scene and found the Officer Commanding on the ground.
“It was established that the front escort vehicle belonging to GSU Kasaka Kairu Gk B 629Y came under bandits attack and all the four officers on board were fatally shot.
The other Land Cruiser which was behind the torched vehicle whose occupants were shot dead had six officers on board who have since been accounted for and are all safe.
“The other land cruiser which was behind GKB307U on board six officers fought through the ambush and are all accounted for and safe.
Police say the motive of the attack is yet to be established adding that bodies of the deceased officers were taken to Manda Operation Camp for airlifting to Nairobi.
“The wreckage of the vehicle has been towed to Hindi Police Station. More progress report to follow,” the report further revealed.
Speaking to the press, Lamu County commissioner Irungu Macharia said that police officers have been deployed in the vast Boni forest in search of the suspected militants.
“We are pursuing the suspects inside Boni forest but our scoop is also in other areas and we urge the residents to volunteer information that will lead to the arrest of the criminals since we are aware some of them may be hiding amongst the residents,” he said.
