A security drill at a Nairobi
university has led to the death of a staff member after many panicked when
security forces used what students thought was live ammunition to stage a
pretend attack on the school.
Social media went into overdrive on
Monday afternoon as security forces simulated an attack against Strathmore
University's Madaraka campus in the Kenyan capital - with many believing the
incident was real.
The university confirmed to Al
Jazeera that a 33-year-old staff member died "from severe head
injuries".
"Efforts to resuscitate her
failed, and she succumbed to the injuries," a university spokeswoman said,
adding that 31 people had been taken to three area hospitals.
It was not immediately clear what
led to the staff member's death, but local media reported that a number people
jumped from the third storey of a building to flee "attackers" during
the drill, while photographs showed others perched on the ledges of a building.
A number of other students from
Strathmore were injured on Monday when they attempted to flee from the school.
The drill comes just months after
the al-Shabab armed group staged an attack against Garissa University in
Kenya's east, killing at least 147 students.
Students reported hearing a number
of gunshots during the incident, but it is not known whether the gunshots were
from live ammunition or blanks.
In a statement provided to Al
Jazeera, the university said that prior training had been provided to teams of
security marshals, comprising students and staff.
"This simulation was aimed at
testing the preparedness of the university community and emergency team in the
event of an attack," the statement said.
"Unfortunately some students
and staff panicked and got injured. The university has assured all the
students, parents and stakeholders that the situation is under control and
normal operations have resumed."
The statement added that the
university started an "intensive assessment of key lessons learned during
this simulation" and said that the medical expenses of those injured would
be catered for.
Students and others in Kenya,
however, voiced their anger on Twitter, saying that the university had failed
to provide adequate warning.
"It's terrifying when you see
your fellow classmates jumping from 3rd floor and there is nothing you can
do," one user wrote.
"That was not a drill that was
a terror attack at #Strathmore. A terror attack carried out by Strathmore
University upon its students," wrote another.
*YOUR COMMENTS/OPINIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED*
SOURCE:AL JAZEERA
0 Comment to "Panic As Kenyan University Stages Deadly Terror Drill"
Post a Comment