Panic as an Explosive Device is Found in a Thika Church

Panic and fear engulfed staff and guests of a Thika church after an explosive device was discovered abandoned within the compound.

The incident forced normal operations at The Christian Church International in Makongeni Thika to come to a halt on Tuesday morning. Sand operators in the neighbourhood too had to scamper for safety when word went round that there was a bomb in the church.

It is said that one of the staff stumbled on a suspicious device and alerted his colleagues who innocently picked it and started questioning each other what it might be.

When a worker who works as an electrician in the church came and saw the device, he warned them of the danger and asked them to get away from it. They took it outside the church premises and alerted Makongeni police who came and confirmed that it was an improvised explosive device (IED).

Confirming the incident, Thika Deputy OCPD Bernard Ayoo said he immediately called bomb experts from Thika KDF Barracks who removed it from the compound and detonated it.

Ayoo said that he could not give much information about the incident but assured that they had launched investigations into the incident to ascertain how it came to find its way in the church.

“The security experts moved in immediately and successfully detonated the device. Right now I cannot give any details about the incident but I can confirm that it was an IED. We will liaise with our counterparts at the Thika Garrison to be in a position to tell what kind of device it was and our team is on the ground trying to get crucial information that may lead to the source of this bomb,” said Ayoo.

He however warned members of public against handling suspicious objects as they may end up getting maimed or killed by such dangerous explosives.

When contacted for comment, the head of the church Bishop Dr. Henry Zakayo Mulandi declined to divulge any details about the incident saying that it was now a police matter.