Crime

17 July 2022

• The raiders who were about 50 ambushed a convoy of vehicles coming from Ndonyo Wasin market, targeting herds of cattle that were being ferried in lorries from the market.

• DCI director George Kinoti said unknown to the raiders, a contingent of police officers based at Sere-Olipi police station was escorting the convoy closely behind.

4 police officers thwarted a bandit attack after armed raiders staged an offensive along the Ndonyo Wasin - Sereolipi Road in Samburu county.

The raiders who were about 50 ambushed a convoy of vehicles on Wednesday coming from Ndonyo Wasin market.

They did this as they targeted herds of cattle that were being ferried in lorries from the market.

DCI Director George Kinoti said unknown to the raiders, a contingent of police officers based at Sere-Olipi police station was escorting the convoy closely behind.

"Immediately the raiders opened fire to stop the convoy, the officers jumped from their vehicle and responded to the provocation," he said on Sunday.

Kinoti said the suspects tilted their fire towards the police vehicle and fired back fiercely, missing the driver by inches.

"This prompted the commander to deploy the gunner on duty, who was in possession of a general purpose machine gun and sufficient ammunition," he said.

"What followed was an avalanche of fire as the gunner unleashed the machine’s firepower, clearing all the bushes used by the thugs for cover and exposing the over 50 bandits armed with AK-47 rifles."

Kinoti said the bandits took flight in different directions some leaving their firearms behind, as the cattle rattled inside the lorries.

"An unknown number of bandits were fatally wounded following the attack," he said.

"Thankfully, the officers escaped the attack unscathed and escorted the cattle safely to their owners."

Banditry has been common around the North Eastern parts of the country with weapons being confiscated.

Last week, some 48 goats stolen from Olla Ginda in Saku constituency have been recovered and handed to the owners.

This follows the Monday dialogue between Rendile and Borana elders. Of the 99 goats stolen during the Sunday evening raid, 48 were recovered in Hula Hula.

It took the elders' efforts to identify where the animals were hidden. The Rendile elders had on Monday in a meeting with Borana elders asked for two days to search for the stolen animals and recovered the 48 goats.