Nairobi — Deputy Inspector-General of Police Gilbert Masengeli on Tuesday visited Hulugho Township in Garissa County to condole with the family of the slain Boma Location Chief and to reassure teachers and pupils following a deadly terror attack that also saw a teacher killed.
The National Police Service (NPS) said Masengeli was representing Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja during the visit, which came a day after two public servants were brutally killed in the township.
DIG Masengeli, in charge of the Administration Police, paid a courtesy call to the family of the late Abdifatah Ghani, the chief of Boma Location, conveying condolences on behalf of the National Police Service and the government.
"Masengeli also visited the grieving widow of the slain chief, Aftina Shalle Wabi, and conveyed the condolences of the National Police Service and the government," the NPS said.
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The late chief was laid to rest on Monday in accordance with Islamic rites.
The DIG later visited Hulugho Primary School, where he met teachers, pupils and education officials to express sympathy following the killing of teacher Peter Musili.
Reading a message from the Inspector-General, Masengeli assured the grieving community that multi-agency security teams had been deployed and were working around the clock to track down and apprehend those responsible for the "senseless and cowardly" killings.
He urged residents to work closely with security agencies by sharing vital intelligence to enhance safety and prevent future attacks.
Planned operations
Masengeli also held a closed-door meeting with officers drawn from local formed-up units and forward operating bases (FOBs).
He was briefed on ongoing and planned security operations through a detailed presentation and directed officers to adopt a more proactive and robust approach to policing. He emphasized the need for heightened vigilance within the township and surrounding border areas.
Accompanying the DIG were the Commandant of the General Service Unit (GSU), Ranson Lolmodooni, and the Director of Corporate Communications and NPS spokesperson, Muchiri Nyaga.
Also present were the Director of Administration at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Ibrahim Mumin, and the TSC Director of Staffing, Antonina Lentoijoni.
The visit followed a deadly dawn attack on Monday, January 26, in which suspected al-Shabaab militants killed Chief Abdifatah Mohamud of Boma Location and Stephen Vundi Musili, a teacher at Hulugho Primary School.
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Deadly raid
According to police reports, the attackers first stormed the chief's residence, shooting him at close range before detonating an explosive device on his vehicle. Family members inside the house escaped unharmed after taking cover.
The assailants then moved to the teacher's residence, dragged him out of his house and shot him dead a short distance away before fleeing.
The militants also carried out a probing attack on Hulugho Police Station using AK-47 rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade, though no injuries were reported at the station.
Both victims succumbed to gunshot wounds, and their bodies were taken to a local mortuary as investigations began.
Hulugho, which lies near the Kenya-Somalia border, has previously been targeted by al-Shabaab militants exploiting porous border points.
Local leaders, including Garissa Woman Representative Edo Udgoon Siyad and Ijara MP Abdi Ali Abdi, condemned the attack and called for intensified security operations to protect residents and frontline public servants.
Meanwhile, teachers in Hulugho have expressed deep fear and trauma following the killing of their colleague.
A fellow teacher recalled how the attackers dragged Musili from his house before killing him, leaving staff terrified and demanding immediate transfers to safer regions.
Educators have appealed to the Teachers Service Commission to intervene urgently, warning that without guaranteed security, they may abandon their posts to safeguard their lives.
