Bandits kill police officer, resident in Kenya

Bandits has targeted the Loosuk area of Samburu County, leaving a retired police officer, Aroi Lepokule, 63, and another resident dead in a deadly raid on Sunday.

The retired police officer confronted the gunmen who had raided his homestead, resulting in a fatal shooting. The attackers also stole 56 cows from his property. However, a swift police operation in the area successfully recovered all the stolen animals.

This tragic incident followed another killing in the Angata Nanyukie area, where gunmen raided Soit Pus and Nkorika areas, taking approximately nine cows.

The assailants shot a 30-year-old man who confronted them, and he later succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.

This surge in violence comes on the heels of last Sunday’s fatal shooting of Angata Nanyekie MCA Paul Leshimpiro by suspected bandits at Soit Pus on the Maralal-Baragoi Highway. The incident sparked protests by residents, with Maa governors urging the government to take decisive action against the rising threat.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, who flew to the area on Tuesday, emphasized the need for unyielding focus and determination to combat organized crime, livestock rustling, and violent banditry in Northern Kenya. He highlighted the necessity of periodic reviews and amendments to strategic and tactical interventions to suppress this persistent menace.

Addressing the media, Kindiki stated, “The time has come to change the operational interventions to seal the remaining gaps and secure the Kenya of the North.” He pledged new security measures, which will be announced next week, to address insecurity within the Northern Rangelands.

Kindiki, actively leading operations in the area, acknowledged that cattle rustling in Northern Kenya has evolved into an organized criminal enterprise with severe impacts on pastoral communities. The government, he said, is committed to dismantling the infrastructure of cattle rustlers, facilitators, and beneficiaries through sustained efforts against banditry.

As the government promises more resources in the war against banditry, communities in Samburu grapple with the tragic consequences of these daring attacks, demanding swift and effective measures to restore peace and security in the region.