KINANGOP, Kenya – Three suspects died on Thursday night after a violent mob stormed and torched the Ndunyu Njeru Police Station in Kinangop, Nyandarua County, amid rising tensions over the arrest of four men accused of stock theft.
According to police, the suspects were killed after a fire engulfed the station’s holding cells during the chaos, which involved an estimated 400 residents demanding the release of the detainees for mob justice. One of the four suspects was rescued in critical condition and taken to hospital.
The confrontation erupted around 8pm, when the mob descended on the station demanding the suspects.
Police say officers resisted the crowd and attempted to disperse them, but were quickly overwhelmed and forced to retreat for their own safety.
What followed was a large-scale destruction of the station and adjacent government property. The attackers set ablaze:
- The main police station and report office
- The area chief’s office
- A police Land Cruiser
- A salon car linked to the suspects
- Several police houses
- A container used to store exhibits, from which two motorcycles and a fuel drum were stolen
One officer was injured in the chaos. Authorities confirmed all firearms at the station were accounted for, though some remain locked inside a fire-damaged steel box now transferred to North Kinangop Police Station for safekeeping.
Death Toll Rises, Facilities Targeted
The Kinangop attack brings to more than 10 the number of police installations that have been targeted in the aftermath of the June 25 nationwide protests, led largely by Gen Z demonstrators.
Stations attacked include:
- Dagoretti Police Post (where five firearms were stolen)
- Juja Police Station
- Molo Police Station
- Ongata Rongai Police Station
- Matuu Police Station
- Mai Mahiu Police Station
- Ol Kalou Police Station
- Villa Police Post
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking on Thursday, condemned the attacks and warned officers to use lethal force to defend themselves and their stations.
“Police must protect government infrastructure at all costs,” he said. “Anyone attacking a police station should be treated as a threat to national security.”
The three deceased suspects were moved to Engineer Sub-county mortuary for postmortem.
Police have launched investigations to determine how the fire started and who among the mob may be held accountable for the destruction and deaths.
