Two suspected robbers were shot dead on Tuesday, December 9, along Moi Avenue in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
According to reports, the two were part of a gang of eight that had attacked and robbed a victim who had just withdrawn money from a Bank on Kimathi Street.
The victim, an official with Embassava Matatu Sacco who had withdrawn cash for office use, was walking along Kimathi Lane when he was ambushed by the gang of eight.
The suspects confronted him, strangled him, and snatched an envelope containing the money. As the victim screamed for help, bystanders rushed to his assistance, prompting panic in the area.
Unknown to the gang, plainclothes police officers from Nairobi Central Police Station had been monitoring the area and had noticed the group of suspects trailing the victim.
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The suspects attempted to flee after the robbery, and they tried attacking the officers with knives, who responded by opening fire.
Central Police Commander Philemon Nyakumbo, speaking to reporters, revealed that the gang had been operating in the Central Business District for several months.
He added that the gang is believed to be part of a broader network that preys on unsuspecting members of the public, particularly individuals carrying bags or envelopes that could contain cash.
According to the commander, officers on patrol had spotted the gang moments before the attack and had attempted to intervene.
The officers managed to neutralize two of the suspects when the situation escalated, but the remaining six vanished into the busy streets with the stolen Ksh300,000.
Police recovered three knives, several mobile phones, and assorted keys believed to belong to victims of previous robberies.
Traders operating along Moi Avenue and Kimathi Lane temporarily shut their stalls following the shooting, with some recounting how they had initially thought the gunshots were firecrackers or a tyre burst.
The Tuesday incident bears similarities to an earlier robbery on November 13, when another man was attacked after leaving Equity Bank, suggesting a coordinated pattern of targeting bank customers.
In September this year, former Senior Economic Advisor to the President Moses Kuria warned that increasing insecurity in the capital posed a threat to the city's economy and its ambitions to become a regional financial hub.
"The alarming and increasing reports of insecurity in Nairobi require urgent attention. Nairobi can not continue with its aspirations to be a regional financial and services hub with this kind of management," Kuria stated at the time.
His remarks followed viral reports of gangs attacking unsuspecting residents and stealing phones, handbags, and other valuables, particularly at night.
