•One person was injured in an attempted cattle rustling near Laikipia Nature Conservancy.
•The bandits had driven hundreds animals from different homesteads but were intercepted by security.
Image: NPS
Three people have been killed when suspected bandits raided a home at Ndindika Village, Ngarua division in Laikipia County.
One person was injured in an attempted cattle rustling near Laikipia Nature Conservancy.
The bandits had driven hundreds animals from different homesteads but were intercepted by security.
After a few hours, the bandits returned to the village in bid to revenge over the recovery of the animals.
National Police Service spokesman Bruno Shiosi said the incident occurred on Sunday at 4pm.
"Three suspected Pokot bandits staged a daring attack at the home of Michael Kananu and made away with 32 heads of cattle and two sheep," he said.
“While driving the stolen cattle towards Laikipia Nature Conservancy, the bandits shot indiscriminately at the four who were fishing at Mbogoini Dam at the time."
Via Twitter on Monday, Shiosi said multi-agency security team responded promptly and an exchange of fire with the criminals ensued.
“All the stolen livestock were recovered and returned to the owner. The Multi-agency security team is still out pursuing the criminals,” Shiosi said.
“We understand that bandits flushed out of the Operation Zones of Laikipia have sought refuge in settlement areas and continue to engage in acts of criminalities by meting pain and anguish to families.”
Shiosi said asked locals to report strangers in their neighbourhoods who are likely to have escaped from the Operation Zones.
“The Multi-agency Security Teams will urgently review their approach to areas that were initially perceived to be of low risks of attacks to ensure that lives and properties are equally protected as those at the high risk areas,” he said.
Last week, Rift Valley regional commissioner George Natembeya said the security operation to flush out bandits from private ranches and restore order in Laikipia is proceeding well.
Natembeya said the only remaining challenge for the multiagency security team is how to manoeuvre in some of the remote areas.
He noted that the few marauding gangs who have been moving around the vast ranches with illicit firearms frustrating security operations have all been flushed out.
“We are proceeding well and you know this is not a one day thing. It is going to take some bit of time before we achieve total serenity in the area. The few challenges will come to an end in the next two to three months,” Natembeya said.