KEY POINTS
- The Nelspruit Police Station was evacuated Friday night after a private security company reported that a bomb had allegedly been planted inside the building.
- Police K9 and bomb disposal units conducted a thorough search, but no explosive device was found, and the premises were later declared safe.
- Authorities are probing the source of the false bomb threat, warning against hoax calls that disrupt operations and may carry severe legal consequences.
The Nelspruit Police Station in Mpumalanga was temporarily evacuated on Friday night following a bomb threat that caused panic and disrupted operations. The incident, which unfolded around 7 PM, prompted a large-scale emergency response as authorities scrambled to assess the credibility of the threat. According to Provincial Police Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the alert was first received from a private security company, Polsec, which claimed that a bomb had been planted inside the station. A member of the police’s explosive unit was informed of the threat, triggering immediate action.
“All role players were summoned to the station, including the K9 unit. The members were evacuated from the building, and services were disturbed,” Ndubane stated.
Authorities conduct thorough search after security alert triggers panic
In response, bomb disposal specialists, along with police K9 units trained in explosive detection, conducted an extensive search of the premises. Police meticulously combed the facility to ensure that no explosive device was present.
By late Friday night, authorities had determined that no explosive materials were found at the police station. The situation was declared safe, and operations resumed. However, police have launched an official investigation to track the origins of the false bomb threat and identify those responsible.
The incident raises concerns about the increasing frequency of bomb threats targeting public institutions, which can cause unnecessary panic, waste valuable police resources, and disrupt essential services. Authorities have urged the public to refrain from making hoax threats, warning that such actions could lead to severe legal consequences.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement officials are working to determine whether the threat was an intentional attempt to disrupt police activities or part of a larger scheme. Meanwhile, security has been reinforced at the station to prevent similar incidents in the future.
