Five police officers feared dead in Kenya attack
Security officers patrol the Kenya-Somalia border.
What you need to know:
According to Mr Wanyanga, the suspect was booked at the police station on Wednesday.
Nairobi. (NMG) A contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) officers has been dispatched to Kapenguria Police Station in north-western Kenya where a suspected Al-Shabaab militant opened fire early Thursday morning.
Five police officers, including a senior one, are among the dead in the wake of the 3am (+3GMT) incident.
Speaking to the Nation on phone, West Pokot County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga confirmed that Kapenguria OCS Vitalis Ochido was among the dead.
Was booked
According to Mr Wanyanga, the suspect was booked at the police station on Wednesday.
He was arrested at Nakwijit area within North Pokot Sub-County and was expected to appear in court Thursday morning.
The suspect, Mr Omar Okwaki Eumod, is said to have planned his rescue from the cells before he seized a rifle from one of the officers and began shooting indiscriminately.
The gunman
The man is accused of recruiting young people from the region to join the militia group.
A helicopter carrying nine elite GSU, Recce Company landed in Kapenguria in efforts to subdue the gunman.
It was the first response unit to arrive at the scene with the Administration Police (AP) officers having been deployed to the scene.
Opened the cells
Gun shots were heard from the police station as late as 10am.
It is alleged that when one police officer opened the cells to take in more suspects, Mr Omar snatched his gun and shot him dead before turning to other police officers who responded to the gunshots.
