Police urge calm after fatal incident, overnight unrest in Huruma

In a statement issued on Sunday, the police said the incident stemmed from a reported robbery earlier in the day.

According to the NPS, a complainant reported at Huruma Police Station on Saturday morning that he had been attacked by five young men known to him, robbed of a silver chain and Sh1,800 in cash, and threatened with death.

Police officers responding to the report arrested two suspects, while further investigations led to the arrest of two additional suspects later in the evening.

However, during the second arrest at around 7:30 p.m., one of the suspects allegedly raised an alarm, inciting nearby youths who began pelting officers with stones and other projectiles in an attempt to disrupt the operation. Police said officers fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.

Shortly after the confrontation, authorities received reports that a member of the public had sustained fatal injuries. The incident was followed by a breakdown of law and order in parts of Huruma, with two vehicles reportedly set ablaze.

The police acknowledged the death of a young person during the skirmishes and confirmed that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has been on the ground since early Sunday conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fatality.

“The National Police Service wishes to assure the public that a full documentation and accountability process for this incident is currently underway,” the statement said, adding that officers are fully cooperating with IPOA investigators.

The NPS appealed to residents to allow due process to take its course and to desist from further acts of lawlessness to enable de-escalation and restoration of calm.