School in Gilgil been investigated over terrorism claims

Anti terrorism police  PHOTO:COURTESY

By Antony Gitonga

Officers from anti-terrorism Police Unit are investigating a private school in Gilgil town over its activities and the origin of their students.

This came as management of the Alsaalam Integrated School went into hiding after the officers moved to the institution.

The school with over 30 students was opened in January this year but there have been suspicion on its activities.

Majority of the students are aged between 12 and 20 years and are boys with the number of teachers put at three.

According to a source privy to the investigations some of the students could have arrived from the country from Somali.

The source added that the school first closed its doors in January after learning that they were under investigations.

“The institution closed for around a month and later relocated to another estate in Gilgil where it has been in operation,” said the source.

However the anti-terror unit got a whiff of the institution operations and moved in to investigate it.

It emerged that some of the minors could not communicate in Kiswahili a move that raised suspicion among members of the neighboring community.

Contacted on phone, Gilgil OCPD Serah Koki confirmed the incident saying that it was under investigations.

She said that officers from the anti-terror unit had visited the institution located within Gilgil town and questioned the management.

“Some of the suspects have since gone into hiding and we are seeking them for interrogation,” she said.

A senior Muslim cleric from the town admitted that the institution was under investigations.

The cleric who declined to be named terming the issue as too sensitive said that they had left the matter to the government officers.

“It’s true the institution is under investigations over its activities and this is all I can say as we wait for a report from the government,” said the cleric.