Nyandarua Residents Burn Police Station After Officer Shoots Boda Boda Rider
A police post in Ndunyu, Nyandarua County, was set ablaze by angry residents on the evening of Thursday, June 26, following the alleged shooting of a boda boda rider by a police officer.
According to eyewitness accounts, the man was among residents who had gathered outside the Ndunyu Police Post to demand justice over rampant cattle theft in the region. Earlier in the day, police officers had arrested three suspected cattle rustlers and were holding them at the station pending arraignment.
Tensions escalated when the crowd demanded that the suspects be handed over to them for punishment. During the standoff, an officer allegedly shot at the boda boda rider, critically injuring him.
The shooting triggered chaos as the angry mob stormed the station and set it on fire. Videos circulating online show the police post engulfed in thick smoke as residents cheer in the background.
The injured man was rushed to North Kinangop Hospital in critical condition. Authorities have not released an official update on his status.
The National Police Service is yet to issue a formal statement regarding the incident.
This incident occurred just hours after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen issued a controversial shoot-to-kill directive. He justified the order, citing frustrations with the judicial system, which he claimed allows criminals to walk free and mock arresting officers.
“I have said that anyone who attempts to approach a police station should be shot down. We will not tolerate people who attack police officers,” Murkomen stated.
The directive has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and civil society, who warn that it may fuel more violence and erode public trust in law enforcement.
As of Friday morning, the Ndunyu police station remains gutted, with residents vowing to continue demanding justice for the boda boda rider.
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Nyandarua Residents Burn Police Station After Officer Shoots Boda Boda Rider