Residents of Kabira Village in Kamengo Subcounty, Mpigi District, were left stunned in the early hours of Monday, June 2, 2025, following a brazen robbery at the Oil Well Petrol Station along the Kampala–Masaka highway.
The attack occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. when a group of unidentified assailants, some armed with an AK-47 and others wielding pangas, pickaxes, and sticks, stormed the station from multiple directions. Wearing masks to conceal their identities, the attackers took advantage of the quiet early morning hours to carry out the raid.
The assailants overpowered two security guards and a pump attendant on duty. The guards, who work for Canoni Security Company Limited, were tied up and locked in a room. One of them, 25-year-old Afowrwoth Godwin from Nebbi District, sustained facial injuries while attempting to resist the attackers. The robbers stole two pump-action shotguns—bearing serial numbers 479H23PT82 and 479H23PT88—along with several rounds of ammunition.
The station manager, 26-year-old Abdul Ismail Hassan, a Somali national, was resting at his nearby residence at the time of the attack and was not harmed.
In addition to the firearms, the robbers broke into the safe room and made off with approximately UGX 27 million in cash. They also dismantled the CCTV system and stole the storage unit, likely in an effort to destroy surveillance evidence.
Police responded swiftly, with the operation led by DPC SP Kuzaala Robert and supported by officers from Kamengo Police Station. The scene was processed by teams from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), Crime Intelligence, and Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO). However, their efforts were hindered by the absence of a police sniffer dog, as the one in Mpigi had died two weeks prior and had not yet been replaced. Assistance was requested from neighboring Butambala District.
In a twist, the two stolen guns were later discovered just 100 meters from the crime scene, offering a potential lead in the investigation.
The daring heist has sparked concern among residents and travelers along the busy highway, prompting authorities to urge the public to share any information that could help identify and apprehend the culprits.
Investigations remain ongoing.
