NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 22 – Two herders from Isiolo lost their lives on Wednesday after they were fatally shot by bandits while asleep.
The two were resting in a makeshift cattle shed when bandits stormed before daybreak.
National Police Service Deputy Director of Corporate Communications Lemmy Njiru told Capital FM that a patrol team had since been dispatched to establish exactly what transpired.
“Today at around 0100hrs at Mado Salesa area in Urura sub-location within Yamicha location suspected armed Degodia militia attacked people who were sleeping in a makeshift cattle boma and fatally shot two people namely Ali Raro Bakasa and Abdi Hassan Talo all Borana male adults. The two herders were looking after their livestock. The area is approximately 60 kilometers north of the station and its between Urura and Matasaden area,” Njiru said.
He however pointed out that the Salesa area where the incident happened is far and with the heavy rains being witnessed across the country, accessibility may be difficult.
This comes few days after at least 12 people were killed and three others injured following two separate bandit attacks in Marsabit County on Saturday.
The casualties included an unspecified number of civilians who were in pursuit of their cattle, goats and sheep.
While confirming the incident, Marsabit County Police Commander Robinson Mboloi said that in the first attack, armed attackers raided a manyatta (homestead) in Jaldesa area at around 5:00 am and made away with 1,000 heads of cattle and 300 goats and sheep.
Mboloi stated that police immediately responded and pursued the attackers who escaped and left the stolen animals following a gun battle with the security agencies.
“We received reports that eight people succumbed to gunshot wounds and three injured during the fire exchange. All the livestock that had been stolen were recovered,” he said.
In the second incident, Mboloi said that another group of bandits attacked another manyatta in Kubi Qallo and stole 800 heads of cattle and 1,500 goats and sheep.
“In the shootout, four other people lost their lives, when police got the information they went to the area and with the help of Wananchi (citizens) recovered the stolen animals,” he added.
The Marsabit county security boss said that they had launched a manhunt for all those involved in the attacks.
