Three police officers killed in Baringo bandit attacks

Six people among them three police officers have been killed after they clashed with suspected raiders at the cattle rustling prone Ng’aratuko area in the cattle rustling prone Bartabwa division of Baringo North district.

Confirming the incident, Baringo County Commissioner Benard Leparmarai said that among the dead are three police officers who were among a contingent of GSU, AP and regular police officers who were pursuing the raiders who had made away with unknown number of livestock during the 6:30am incident towards Chemolingot in East Pokot District.

“Following the raid, we immediately mobilised our officers who managed to shoot down two raiders but unfortunately we lost three officers during the fierce shoot out,” said the administrator, adding that one civilian was also killed during the shootout.

He said that the officers managed to recover some of the stolen animals but added that the ragged terrain of the area adversely affected their response.

Mr Leparmarai said that another officer sustained serious injuries during the shootout and is admitted at Kabarnet District Hospital.

The administrator urged the residents not to panic saying that the government has declared war on bandits in the area.

“We’ve boosted security in all the insecurity hotspots with the deployment of enough security personnel to the area. We’ve also opened a GSU camp in Arabal in Marigat district which has seen significant drop in rampant cases of insecurity,” Mr Leparmarai told the Nation on phone.

He said that enough security will also be provided to all schools in the area where learning has been paralysed due to insecurity.

The deaths come in the wake of rampant cases of banditry in Baringo County with more than 3,000 people fleeing their homes in Bartabwa division in the past one month fearing for their lives.

Residents from the cattle rustling prone areas of Baringo County who spoke to Nation demanded for the investigations of members of the provincial administration in Rift Valley whom they feared may be behind the raids.

According to residents, before a raid takes place, strange vehicles with mechanical problems appear and then disappear mysteriously after the raids.