Police in Kampala have foiled an attempted attack on one of its police stations by an armed assailant.
According to sources, the attempted attack happened at around 4am on Wednesday morning at Nakulabye police station but the attacker was repulsed.
“One of the assailants was stopped as under the cover of darkness he tried to reach the station. One of our officers shot at him and he ran away. The attack was not successful because our officer was alert and brave enough to ward off the attackers,” the source told this website.
The source added that a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition was dropped by the attacker as he fled for his dear life.
Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the development.
“It is alleged that one of our officers whose names have been withheld was on duty as a station guard when he spotted an unidentified armed person approaching the station from the western direction. The officer immediately discharged bullets towards the alleged attacker forcing him to flee,” Owoyesigyire said.
The Kampala police spokesperson said the attacker abandoned an AK47 magazine.
According to Owoyesigyire, a team of investigators with the help of sniffer dogs followed the direction the attacker had taken in a bid to trace his whereabouts but nothing was found.
“Investigations into the matter have commenced aided by CCTV cameras to help identify the attacker and their movements.”
Owoyesigyire hailed the police officer on duty who repulsed the attempted attack .
Background
The development comes on the backdrop of increased attacks targeting security personnel, especially those with guns.
Earlier this month, armed assailants attacked Busiika Police station in Luweero district in an incident that happened at around 7pm.
The armed assailants who were numbering between six and seven or thereabout approached Busiika town and ordered locals to close their shops.
They later emerged from three different sides, two in front and one from behind, were armed with a pistol and guns and shot at police officers at the station.
Two officers were killed on the spot whereas a civilian who had come to report a case and another police officer were injured.
Last week, in a properly planned mission, assailants attacked a mini-checkpoint, one kilometer away from the main checkpoint to UPDF Gaddafi barracks in Jinja.
The assailants who seem to have been monitoring the activities at the mini-checkpoint struck and killed Sgt Eyamu Simon Peter, aged 45 who had been left alone with two guns after his colleague had gone to nearby shops to buy something at around 9pm.
They killed Eyamu and went away with the two guns.
Two people, including the UPDF officer who had gone for some errands away from the checkpoint have been arrested to aid in investigations.
On Monday evening, a private security guard was attacked by unknown people in Magere, Wakiso district and cut before the gun was taken.
Security personnel have since these attacks started been put on high alert.
To this, personnel, especially those carrying guns have been warned against moving alone.
The developments also comes after police in a new strategy phased out several police posts and merged them to form police stations as the force seeks to base its policing activities at the subcounty.
At the sub-county police station, there will be at least 20 officers from the various units to deal with criminality.
Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga recently said this will help deal with the problem of police posts that don’t have enough manpower but are also vulnerable to attacks .
