At least six people were killed and eleven others injured after armed men ambushed a lorry ferrying passengers from Marsabit township to Bardassa Manyatta on Thursday, November 4, evening.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), the unknown bandits opened fire at the vehicle after they waylaid the driver, shooting indiscriminately.
The six who were killed died on the spot while those injured were rushed to nearby health facilities where they are receiving treatment.
“The injured were rushed to Marsabit Referral Hospital. Police are pursuing the bandits who disappeared after the attack,” the NPS stated.
A multi-agency unit was deployed to track the militants and also flush out their sympathisers.
Marsabit Governor, Mohamud Ali, who spoke to the media at the crime scene stated: "Clearly this is a well calculated move engineered to inflict the highest amount of pain on the members of the Borana Community and to slow down the activities of the county government so that we cannot make any economic progress.
“Whenever there are activities that we plan, then the executors of these terrible acts normally move into action.”
The attack came nearly 24 hours after 14 people were killed and five others critically injured in a gunfight in Samburu County.
The battle between the herders and militants in Suiyan lasted for over 15 hours.
A police report detailed that the gunmen raided the villages and escaped with 1,000 cattle. The injured were admitted to Maralal hospital.
“A contingent of security personnel drawn from the General Service Unit and the General Duty is already on the ground tracing the bandits to recover the stolen stock,” NPS stated.
“Security around the affected areas has been beefed up.”
In October 2021, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i cautioned that the government would not relent in its efforts to curb insecurity.
“Despite the enhanced presence of security teams, criminals are still trying to challenge the Government's resolve to restore normalcy and the economic livelihoods of the residents,” Matiang’i’s statement sent to address rising bandit attacks in Laikipia County read.
