By Insight Post Uganda
Kampala-Uganda
The Directorate of Counterterrorism, on Monday, acted swiftly to respond to a residential blast and apprehend a suspect involved in a dangerous plot.
Collins Mugabe, a resident of Banda Zone II in Nakawa division, was arrested under grave accusations of constructing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
The dire situation unfolded after one of Mugabe’s homemade bombs detonated late in the night, causing alarm and prompting a rapid response from the vigilant police force.
In the aftermath of the explosion, the area where the incident occurred was swiftly cordoned off by law enforcement. As dawn broke, an intensive search ensued, ultimately leading the authorities to Mugabe’s residence.
There, a chilling discovery awaited them – an assembled IED, ready to unleash devastation, alongside an array of other materials used in the sinister art of bomb-making. Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, reveled the gravity of the situation and the urgency with which they handled it.
The city now grapples with the unsettling reality that one individual had been preparing to sow chaos and destruction, raising concerns about potential accomplices and underlying motives that must be unearthed before further harm befalls the city.
“We successfully established a cordon around the entire area, and the next morning, our search led us to Mugabe’s residence, where we discovered a second IED and various materials used in bomb-making,” stated Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, during a media briefing on Monday.
Among the items recovered were three jerricans containing nitric acid, methanol, ethanol, potassium nitrate, along with notes and textbooks on bomb-making techniques.
Enanga revealed that the suspect had taken steps to construct two IEDs, one of which accidentally detonated when he tampered with it at night.
The suspect is presently undergoing thorough interrogation to ascertain any potential connections with terrorist groups and identify potential targets for the IEDs’ use against Ugandans.
Police have since commended the locals for promptly alerting security forces after the explosion and urged everyone to remain vigilant.
“This arrest exemplifies our determination and dedication to counter and eliminate all forms of terrorism and extremism in our country,” Enanga emphasised.
This incident comes few weeks after a terror alert issued by the UK High Commission, warning its citizens of an impending attack in Uganda.
The alert, however, did not specify the targeted locations or the timing of the potential attacks but advised citizens to avoid places frequently visited by foreigners and public areas.
On November 16, 2021, Kampala experienced a tragic incident where suicide bombers detonated two explosives, resulting in the death of four people and injuring several others. Islamic State claimed responsibility for those attacks.
END
English 