Panic after explosive device found in church compound

An improvised explosive device (IED) - Photo Courtesy

There was Panic in a Church in Thika after an explosive device was discovered abandoned by unknown people within the compound.

The incident brought to a halt normal operations at the usually busy Christian Church International in Makongeni.

Staff members and guests present as well as sand sellers normally stationed near the church scampered for safety when word went round that there was a bomb in the church.

A worker in the church said that one of his colleagues stumbled on the suspicious device and alerted other workers.

"Some of my colleagues even innocently picked it and started arguing about its identity until one of us warned them of the danger," he said.

 The workers then took the device outside the church premises and alerted police form the nearby Makongeni police station who confirmed that it was an improvised explosive device (IED).

Military explosives experts removed the device detonated it.