A senior police officer in Loiyangalani, Marsabit County, was seriously injured after an ambush by suspected bandits on Sunday. The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of Loiyangalani Police Station was shot in the left thigh during a violent encounter with an armed group. He sustained serious injuries and was initially treated at a local hospital before being flown to Nairobi for specialized care.
The ambush occurred while the officer, accompanied by a team of multi-agency security personnel, was responding to a distress call regarding gunmen terrorizing residents in the Manyatta DC village. According to police reports, approximately 30 armed men had regrouped in the area and were threatening pedestrians. The officers, who were traveling in a police vehicle, were caught off-guard as the assailants launched a sudden and intense attack.
In the aftermath of the incident, a police response team was deployed to the area. During their operation, they recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with 11 bullets abandoned in a nearby thicket. Authorities have not yet determined who left the weapon behind.
This incident comes amid an ongoing security operation in the region, launched to curb rising banditry and cattle rustling activities. Known as Operation Maliza Uhalifu, the initiative was launched in 2024 with the aim of addressing long-standing insecurity in the northern regions of Kenya. The operation targets several counties plagued by similar violence, including Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru, and Isiolo.
The area has witnessed a spate of violent incidents in recent weeks. On June 5, gunmen ambushed and killed two herders while injuring two others. Police responded promptly, recovering stolen livestock after a brief gunfight with the attackers. These events underline the volatility and high-risk nature of security operations in the region.
In response to the growing challenges, the government has emphasized a dual approach combining law enforcement and socio-economic development. Plans are underway to support local communities through strategic investments in agriculture. These include the distribution of subsidized farm inputs and the provision of agricultural extension services, aimed at restoring farming as a viable source of livelihood.
The long-term vision for the region is to dismantle not just the criminal networks involved in cattle rustling but also the underlying systems that sustain them. Authorities are calling for community involvement in the fight against crime, with the aim of fostering peace and development in the Northern Frontier and Kerio Valley regions. Through both security interventions and sustainable development efforts, the government hopes to bring lasting stability to the affected areas.A senior police officer in Loiyangalani, Marsabit County, was seriously injured after an ambush by suspected bandits on Sunday. The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of Loiyangalani Police Station was shot in the left thigh during a violent encounter with an armed group. He sustained serious injuries and was initially treated at a local hospital before being flown to Nairobi for specialized care.
The ambush occurred while the officer, accompanied by a team of multi-agency security personnel, was responding to a distress call regarding gunmen terrorizing residents in the Manyatta DC village. According to police reports, approximately 30 armed men had regrouped in the area and were threatening pedestrians. The officers, who were traveling in a police vehicle, were caught off-guard as the assailants launched a sudden and intense attack.
In the aftermath of the incident, a police response team was deployed to the area. During their operation, they recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with 11 bullets abandoned in a nearby thicket. Authorities have not yet determined who left the weapon behind.
This incident comes amid an ongoing security operation in the region, launched to curb rising banditry and cattle rustling activities. Known as Operation Maliza Uhalifu, the initiative was launched in 2024 with the aim of addressing long-standing insecurity in the northern regions of Kenya. The operation targets several counties plagued by similar violence, including Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru, and Isiolo.
The area has witnessed a spate of violent incidents in recent weeks. On June 5, gunmen ambushed and killed two herders while injuring two others. Police responded promptly, recovering stolen livestock after a brief gunfight with the attackers. These events underline the volatility and high-risk nature of security operations in the region.
In response to the growing challenges, the government has emphasized a dual approach combining law enforcement and socio-economic development. Plans are underway to support local communities through strategic investments in agriculture. These include the distribution of subsidized farm inputs and the provision of agricultural extension services, aimed at restoring farming as a viable source of livelihood.
The long-term vision for the region is to dismantle not just the criminal networks involved in cattle rustling but also the underlying systems that sustain them. Authorities are calling for community involvement in the fight against crime, with the aim of fostering peace and development in the Northern Frontier and Kerio Valley regions. Through both security interventions and sustainable development efforts, the government hopes to bring lasting stability to the affected areas.
