Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki on March 12, ordered all civilians to vacate banditry-prone areas declared scenes of crime within 24 hours.
In a nine-page statement, the CS stated that any person found in the specified areas from Monday, March 13, 2023, would be treated as suspects of armed banditry, or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry.
Kindiki stated that the government had been forced to upscale security operations in the areas because of the continued attempted attack on the security officers and their equipment by the bandits.
"In the last 25 days, we have engaged in meticulous intelligence gathering to establish the identity, stature and sophistication of the network perpetuating the orgy of violence in this Northern part of our Country.
"All law-abiding civilians are hereby ordered to vacate the following areas and coordinates immediately and in any case within twenty-four hours effective Sunday, March 12, 2023," the statement read in part.
The areas mapped out include Korkoron Hills, Tandare Valley and Silale Gorges in Baringo, County Mukogodo Forest; Kamwenje, Warero and Ndonyoriwo; Lekuruki Hills, Losos and Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in
Laikipia County.
The strongly-worded statement further revealed that in the last seven months, over 135 Kenyans including 20 security officers had been killed by bandits.
Kindiki warned that the security agencies deployed in the areas would be flashing out the bandits and extracting them from their hideouts.
He stated that despite the notice given of voluntary surrender of firearms issued there were thousands of guns and ammunition that were still withheld by the bandits.
"We have found a way around the bad terrain. Therefore, security agencies will now onwards be taking the war to the bandits. We shall extract them from any forest, cave, gorge, ravine or escarpment within the soil of the Republic of Kenya.
"In the days and months ahead, we shall collect every illegal gun, every weapon in the hands of criminals, whether by voluntary surrender or by force," Kindiki warned.
Additionally, other areas listed as disturbed and dangerous are Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia and Lekadaar Escarpments; Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley in Samburu County.
The CS further closed the airspace and banned all low aircraft that were taking part in the ongoing security operations.
"Apart from aircraft taking part in the ongoing security operation, low altitude overflight by any other aircraft over any of therefore specified areas is hereby BANNED with effect from Monday, March 13, 2023, until further notice," Kindiki stated.
