Laikipia police pursue cattle rustlers inside conservancy

Police in Laikipia West were pursuing cattle rustlers who raided Wangwachi Village and stole several animals on Thursday morning.

The armed cattle rustlers, suspected to be from neighbouring Baringo County, struck the stole more than 60 goats and 20 head of cattle. Nobody was injured in the raid.

ATTACK

According to Mr Joel Wahome, a villager, the bandits struck at 3am and rounded up animals from several homes, then made away with them.

Upon discovering that they were being followed closely by the villagers, the bandits started shooting in the air to scare away their pursuers.

“We followed them towards the Laikipia Nature Conservancy together with a number of police reservists in an effort to recover the animals.

“We later sought for help from police officers who joined us in the recovery mission,” said Mr Wahome.

HOT PURSUIT

Nyahururu OCPD Ezekiel Chepkwony said police officers were still in hot pursuit of the bandits.

He said the raiders attacked the village and stole the animals some hours after midnight, then drove them into a valley near the Laikipia Nature Conservancy.

“Enough police officers have been deployed in the area and are combing the conservancy to track the attackers,” said the police boss.

Mr Chepkwony said the bandits cut through the conservancy’s fence to get to the village.

Several villages, among them Kamwenje, Matuiku, Mutitu, Rubere and Wangwachi, which neighbour Baringo County and the Laikipia Nature Conservancy, have been attacked by rustlers.