Seven people, including National Police Service (NPS) reservists, were killed in a series of attacks in Meru and Isiolo counties, with hundreds of livestock reported stolen.
The incidents unfolded across multiple villages, leaving residents shaken and security agencies stretched beyond their ability to immediately respond to the bandit invasions.
In the Igembe region of Meru, two people were shot dead when armed cattle rustlers raided homes before driving away herds of animals.
Hours later, five others were killed in Ngaremara, Isiolo County, during a fierce confrontation as residents attempted to recover stolen livestock.
Friday’s attacks also saw at least another three people, two police reservists from Meru and one from Turkana, reportedly killed in separate raids in Meru, where rustlers descended on villages in coordinated strikes, as confirmed by Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma.
Security officials said the assailants moved swiftly, targeting areas with limited police presence in yet another wave of attacks targeting locals despite the government's assurance that it had taken control of the banditry situation.
During the attacks, more than 600 animals were stolen in the attacks, including 400 from Igembe and 200 from Tigania. In another incident, attackers struck in Maili Saba, Buuri constituency, leaving villagers in fear of further raids.
At the same time, two civilians were also injured during the shootouts and were taken to nearby health facilities for treatment.
Multi-agency teams have since been deployed to track down the attackers and recover the stolen livestock.
While police have intensified patrols in the affected regions, the government has not yet issued a full press briefing on the unfolding security operation or the measures expected to restore calm.
In April, four reserve officers from NPS were ambushed by bandits and succumbed to their wounds. This prompted Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma to ask President William Ruto to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to help contain the volatile security situation affecting the northern grazelands of the county.
Even so, the request was denied. Ruto, however, assured the governor that he and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki would work together to find a lasting solution. Unlike in the North Rift, no major security operation such as Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU) has ever been deployed since then.
