Twelve police officers are currently receiving medical treatment at Maralal Referral Hospital following a mishap involving their Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) in Lorian Hills, Samburu West Sub-County.
According to Rift Valley Regional Commissioner (RC) Abdi Hassan, who visited the injured officers, the accident occurred as the officers were en route to address a banditry incident in the Pura area, resulting in injuries to the security personnel.
RC Abdi Hassan stated, “The officers were responding to a banditry attack in the Pura area when the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) rolled, injuring the 12 security officers.”
Confirming the incident, Hassan also reported a separate bandit attack on Pura Village, where two herders lost their lives while four others sustained gunshot wounds.
The bandits attempted to flee with 250 livestock but were met with resistance from National Police Reservists in Pura, resulting in the death of one bandit and the recovery of 200 goats and 28 cows.
“Our security officers are in the process of recovering the remaining 22 livestock, including those stolen over time along the Malaso Valley from Longewan to Pura, and returning them to their rightful owners,” Hassan added.
Expressing concern over the audacity of the bandits, Hassan highlighted their use of unarmed civilians as shields to evade security operations. He urged civilians to vacate the Malaso Valley promptly to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
“We have observed that the bandits migrate with their families in the Malaso Valley.
I urge all unarmed civilians to leave the area immediately or risk becoming targets of government operations against the bandits,” emphasized the RC.
Furthermore, Hassan directed security forces to closely monitor a low-flying aircraft frequently seen over the Malaso Valley, suspecting its involvement in facilitating bandit activities.
He instructed measures to intercept the aircraft, linking it to the ongoing banditry in the region.
In March 2023, the Interior Cabinet Secretary declared the Malaso Escarpment a crime scene, issuing evacuation orders and prohibiting low-altitude flights by privately-owned aircraft, aiming to curb rampant banditry in the area.