By Augustine Ehikioya
Cracking down on criminals, Police officials gunfire exchange with thugs in Nairobi, Kenya have led to the death of four suspects.
Some of the thugs terrorising the Kamukunji area escaped by diving into the nearby Nairobi river.
A statement issued by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA), said “Police have recovered three firearms in different incidents across the city, as a crackdown on thugs terrorising city residents enters the homestretch.
“In the first incident which occurred minutes to 5am, two miscreants died in a hail of fire after challenging detectives on patrol to a duel, leading to a deafening exchange of fire that shook the entire Kwa Viatu area near Kamukunji grounds.
“The two who were part of a four-man gang that had earlier accosted two members of the public headed for their early morning hustles, were intercepted close to Kamukunji grounds, where on noticing the presence of our officers they shot at them leading to the exchange.
“Two of the thugs were lucky to escape the onslaught by diving into nearby Nairobi river, opting to swim downstream while gulping mouthfuls of the heavily polluted water infested with human and household waste.,” it said.
Following the incident, the statement said, one home made firearm capable of firing was recovered, along with a blood stained knife, mobile phones and six wallets.
It went on “Moments later along Thika road at Kastemill area, another armed thug was felled by officers on patrol after he was intercepted trying to cross over from Zimmerman to Kastemill carrying stolen goods.
“The armed thug who defied orders to surrender was fatally wounded and a Beretta pistol loaded with 2 rounds of 9mm calibre recovered from him. Also recovered was a 43’’flat screen television suspected to have been stolen from a house in Zimmerman.
“The third miscreant whose appointment with his maker was last to be fixed this morning, died in a fierce shootout as he together win an accomplice tested the resolve of our officers after defying orders to turn themselves in.
“The two armed with a Browning pistol loaded with 13 rounds of 9mm calibre were no match to the sleuths’ ferocious firepower coupled with sufficient government ammo, that fatally wounded one of them instantly as his accomplice fled to nearby shrubs with life threatening injuries.”
It said that a Police rain coat, handcuff keys, four mobile phones, two master keys and a dagger were recovered.
Efforts to arrest the thugs who escaped, the statement added, are in top gear as detectives urged medical practitioners in Eastlands to be on the lookout for two young men seeking treatment for severe diarrhoea and one with gunshot injuries.