Governor narrates how ‘smuggled’ firearms found their way into his office
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has revealed how he was left badly shaken during a security drill at his office some time last year.
Assorted weapons including guns, bullets and grenades were smuggled into the county government office compound in Nyeri town before finding their way into the governor’s office. The governor was clueless when all that was happening.
The drill, which was meant to check the state of security in the county offices, left his security detail and the county employees shocked. The drill was mounted following reports of radicalisation in the county.
The governor only disclosed about the incident recently during a three-day Nyeri county countering violent extremism consultative meeting held in a hotel in Nyeri town over the weekend.
The governor and his officials kept the incident a guarded secret until recently.
Despite shocking the county employees and security, the exercise led to boosting of security in the offices where residents were thoroughly screened by security officers before accessing the offices.
WEAPONS
Governor Kahiga admitted that he was shocked at how the team conducting the drill gained access into the compound his office carrying the weapons undetected.
“The team came and passed all security checks, gained entry into the county government offices compound until they got into my office,” Kahiga said.
He explained that he started chatting with the visitors until he was shown what they were carrying.
“I thought they were carrying cameras but what I saw sent shivers down my spine. They were grenades and guns,” he said.
This happened despite the governor having about six armed security officials guarding the premises including the main gate.
TERRORISTS
The security officials later informed him that some of the weapons were capable of causing untold damage not only in his offices but also in Nyeri town.
“They kept all those weapons on my table and I wondered whether I should have my security team replaced,” he said.
The governor said though it was just a drill, it was a serious matter and a lesson that residents, and even himself, have to learn and be alert at all times.
Nyeri is a transit town connecting parts of Eastern and North Eastern regions through the Isiolo-Nanyuki-Nyeri-Nairobi route, which is also in the process of being upgraded to a dual carriageway.
The county is exposed and believed to be a possible target or safe haven for terrorists conducting radicalization due to prevailing peace in the area.