Police bomb squad recover suspicious device in pupil’s bag at Luzira school

KAMPALA, (UG): Police Bomb experts in Kampala are actively investigating how a suspicious phone device connected to a switch was last week recovered in a pupil’s school bag at Murchison Bay Primary School in Luzira, Nakawa Division, a Kampala suburb.

In a statement issued today morning at Uganda police headquarters in Kampala, SCP Fred Enanga, the force’s Spokesperson said the threatening incident happened on Wednesday, August 02, 2023, when the bag was abandoned at the school premises at around 2 pm.

“The Police Bomb Squad and Kampala Metropolitan East Region, continue to investigate circumstances under which a suspicious phone device, that was connected to a switch, was recovered in the bag of a pupil at Murchison Bay Primary School on the 2.08.2023 at around 2 pm,” said Enanga while addressing journalists today morning.

Enanga explains that the matter was brought to the attention of police after concerned students, saw smoke coming out of the school bag.

“They alerted their teachers, who upon checking the bag, found a phone battery that was connected to a switch, and immediately alerted the police,” he explained.

In a swift response to the incident, the bomb specialists were to recover the suspicious device, which had no specific safety risk to the school.

Enanga said that efforts are now in place, to trace the source of the device, which the pupil says was from their neighbour at home.

“The fact that a suspicious phone device, though low risk, found its way into the school, calls for more training and vigilance of school administrators, staff and students. They should thoroughly conduct searches on students, for suspicious items, with potential of disrupting school activities. Remember, easy access to formulas for homemade bombs on the internet, has contributed to concerns about bomb threats, and suspicious devices in schools, playgrounds and on vans and buses,” the police spokesperson remarked.

Meanwhile, Enanga said that arrangements are in place by the Counter-terror Units, to train the school administrators, teachers, students, school bus drivers, support staff on suspicious devices, school safety and emergency preparedness.