The Administration Police Service (APS) Commandant of the Security of Government Buildings (SGB) and VIP Protection Unit, Lazarus Opicho, has died.
According to colleagues and friends, Opicho died at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi on the night of September 28, 2026, following an illness.
Veteran Officer Led Key State Security Operations
At the time of his death, Lazarus Opicho was serving as Commandant of the Security of Government Buildings and VIP Protection Unit, a specialized formation within the Administration Police Service with the role to safeguard critical government installations, senior state officials and other protected persons.
The unit oversees security arrangements for top government leaders and coordinates protective operations involving dignitaries, strategic state facilities and judicial officers. It is one of several specialized formations established under the APS to support the security mandate of the National Police Service (NPS).
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja mourned Opicho as a committed officer who served the service with integrity and professionalism throughout his career.
Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court Martha Koome has mourned Opicho, describing his death as a loss to the National Police Service and the institutions he served. Koome said Opicho held a “special place in the institutional history of the Judiciary” as the founding Head of the Judiciary Police Unit, established in 2021.
She praised his commitment and professionalism, noting that he helped establish the unit’s security framework for Judiciary personnel, court users and judicial premises.
“On behalf of the Judiciary, and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Inspector General of Police, the leadership and entire fraternity of the National Police Service, his family, friends and colleagues on this untimely loss. We mourn a distinguished police officer who devoted many years of his life to public service and to the protection of our institutions and the people who serve within them,” Koome said.
Career in Judiciary Police Unit and VIP Protection
Before taking charge of the SGB and VIP Protection Unit, Opicho served as the pioneer Commandant of the Judiciary Police Unit.
The Judiciary Police Unit was established as a specialized police formation to provide security and protection to the Judiciary, judicial officers, staff, and court facilities. Opicho was among the officers involved in establishing the unit’s operations.
His career later placed him at the center of a security incident involving High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi in September 2024.
Opicho had contacted the judge’s driver and bodyguard while seeking information about the judge’s whereabouts. The matter came before the High Court, with Opicho explaining that his inquiries were prompted by security concerns following the shooting of a judicial officer at the Makadara Law Courts.
He apologized to Justice Mugambi, saying he intended to assess the judge’s security situation. The judge accepted the apology and discharged him after the explanation.
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