Six traders were injured on Sunday morning October 25, in a bandit attack in Bangale area of Bura Constituency in Tana River County.
Five armed men attacked the traders who were on their way to the livestock market in Kaniki. According to Tana River Deputy Police County Commander, Peter Munyoki, the attackers demanded money from the traders and upon hesitation, the armed men brutally attacked and robbed the victims.
"It seems the bandits were targeting businessmen who were going to buy livestock and those who were returning from the market," he said.
Reports have indicated that two of the traders were shot in the leg while the rest sustained minor injuries. The injured traders were rushed to Bangale Health Center where they are convalescing.
Commander Muchoki admonished the action that has been rampant in the region. He urged the residents to assist the police officers, who had been dispatched to the area, in their ongoing investigations.
"These people are certainly living in the respective villages. We are pursuing them with the aim of arresting them and recovering the firearms," Muchoki said.
Cases of banditry attacks have been on the rise with the recent incident falling on Samburu Senator Steve Lelegwe. He was attacked by gunmen who fired at his vehicle on his way from attending a meeting in Samburu North on Saturday October 10.
The senator and his associates escaped with their lives after the gunmen shot at them four times at about 7.30 pm.
"I was on my way to Maralal when we were attacked. It was a lucky escape and nobody was injured during the incident," he told reporters.
The Senator reported the incident at Maralal Police Station. Samburu Central Sub-County Police Commander Alex Rotich said the gang could have consisted of highway bandits who are notorious in the area.
In July, an unknown number of assailants also opened fire on a group of herders and drove away about 250 animals in Samburu County. This incident left a 10-year-old boy who was grazing the animals dead.
