Baringo: Kidnapped teenage girl rescued 100kms away after 3 days

A teenage girl who has been kidnapped by suspected bandits in a raid at a home in Yatya, Baringo North Subcounty was found alive more than 100 kilometres from the point of attack .

She was found three days after the incident on Sunday and reunited with her family.

Her elder brother who was also kidnapped alongside her managed to escape, police and other officials said.

This happened after gunmen raided their home on Friday.

The motive of the kidnapping was not immediately established.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed the rescue of the Grade 7 girl and lauded the local administrators for the successful operation.

He said considering the trauma that the girl and her brother (who escaped the kidnappers earlier) underwent, they have arranged for psychosocial support for them.

"If the family allows, we have offered to take them to a boarding school outside their home subcounty where they will feel safe and at peace to pursue their education,” Murkomen said.

Murkomen said the National Police Service will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

“I have also directed our officers in Baringo North and Tiaty Central Subcounties, under the leadership of the County Commissioner, to organise a community meeting to resolve the underlying issues that allegedly led to this terrifying crime,” he said.

“I congratulate our security teams at the national, regional and local levels for a well-coordinated operation. I appreciate the two communities in the area for their invaluable support and cooperation,” he said in a statement.

The girl was abducted by suspected armed bandits in Yatia Village, Baringo North, on June 6.

After two days of intense search efforts, security teams and local community members rescued her in the Silale downhills, Tiaty Central, over 100 kilometres from her home.

The Kenya Red Cross said it had been working closely with authorities and community leaders throughout the response, and is now providing psychosocial support and facilitating medical referral services for the child and her family.

The area is among those under Operation Maliza Uhalifu aimed at dealing with bandits.

The operation has managed to contain crime in the area and other counties amid persistence.

The operation targets Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru and Isiolo counties.

Besides retributive reaction, strategic investment and sustainable development have also taken a prominent place among the government’s planned crime control interventions for Kenya’s Northern frontier and the Kerio Valley belt.

Murkomen said the long-term vision is to empower the communities to actively take part in the war against animal rustling and undertake legitimate nation-building activities.

He said plans to distribute subsidized agricultural inputs and extension services to area residents in a bid to revive farming activities as a source of livelihood.

“We are coming to dismantle not only the criminals themselves but also to bring down the entire chain that has been the cattle and livestock rustling industry,” he said.

Murkomen ordered fresh vetting for all National Police Reservists (NPSs).