Hunt on for bandits who disrupted Laikipia meeting

Police officers patrol a private ranch in Laikipia County. Security officers are looking for armed men spotted in a valley in Ng'arua. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Bandits raided village Tuesday night and stole unknown number of livestock.
  • A police vehicle was damaged during a confrontation between security personnel and the armed men.

Police in Ng’arua, Laikipia County, are pursing bandits who disrupted a meeting by shooting in the air on Tuesday.

The armed men were spotted in a valley near the Baringo-Laikipia border Wednesday morning and are believed to be behind a spate of fresh cattle-rustling incidents in the area.

On Tuesday, they disrupted a meeting held to discuss insecurity in Rubere, Laikipia West. They emerged from bushes and started shooting in the air, causing panic.

Nyahururu OCPD Ezekiel Chepkwony said the bandits later Tuesday night raided several villages and stole an unknown number of livestock.

“Tension is still high in the area following the night raid in Matuiku and Rubere villages,” said the OCPD.

SHOOT

The incident has caused panic among residents as bandits have resorted to appearing in public places and shoot in the air to scare them.

On April 4, armed men shot in the air at a market in Ol Moran, Laikipia West, forcing traders to close their businesses.

A police vehicle was damaged during a confrontation between security personnel and the bandits.

The OCPD said residents were alarmed after the men were spotted Wednesday. He said police have been deployed to the valley to pursue them as their intention is unknown.

“As we are talking right now we are in the valley pursuing them and I can assure the residents that we are in control of the situation on the ground,” he told the Nation by phone.

He said more security officers have been deployed to the area to fight insecurity as more herders move to the county in search of pasture and water.

Mr Chepkwony urged leaders intending to hold meetings in Laikipia to inform them in advance as some of the areas in the region have been gazetted as unsafe.

ILLEGAL HERDERS

Meanwhile, leaders from the county have condemned the Tuesday raid, saying it is regrettable that it happened while a security operation is under way in the area.

The leaders, including area MP Wachira Karani, county assembly Speaker Patrick Mariru, gubernatorial aspirant Nderitu Muriithi and a number of MCAs, urged the security agencies to flush out illegal herders.

“Tourism and wildlife in our county is on the verge of collapsing as a result of invasions and cattle rustling. We want the government to take full charge of security in the county,” Mr Muriithi said.

The leader also accused the government of being reluctant to deal firmly with the invaders.

“I am wondering why the government, with all the professionally trained security personnel and the state-of-the-art machinery, is yet to contain the bandits, who have created panic among residents,” said Githiga ward MCA Peter Thomi.

“We are worried that our children may stop going to school due to the fear of being attacked,” the MCA said.