A police officer is among five people killed by bandits in Mutuati, Igembe North in Meru County.
Mutuati Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Silvester Mwangulu said the bandits, suspected to be from Samburu County, raided Kilenda village and stole more than 159 cattle.
Mwangulu that the victims killed were two Meru residents and two Samburu residents.
“It was around 7: 00 pm when we heard that a police officer working at Lare Police Station was killed,” he said.
He reported that the bandits stormed the Kilinda area around 12:00 pm on Saturday, July 6 and went further to attack herders who were at the grazing area and stole their livestock.
Bandits Attack Police and Herders
Violent confrontation was later witnessed between the herders and the heavily armed bandits prompting residents to ask for help from the Police Officers.
Mutuati said the fight lasted for four to five hours into the night, resulting in injuries to five people, including three police officers.
“It was around 7:00 pm on that day that the Police officer was announced dead,’ he said.
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He said the officers and the residents were overpowered by the bandits forcing the law enforcers to withdraw and leave.
“The bandits were many, they were about 40 men armed with sharp weapons. They hid the stolen livestock in a dangerous terrain that no one could manage to enter,” he said.
The DCC said one of the officers was seriously injured and was receiving medication from a hospital in Nairobi
Bandit Attacks in Meru
Meru County has witnessed an increase in cattle raids over the past one year.
In June last year five people, including two national police reservists, were killed by bandits in Mutuati, Igembe North in Meru County.
The bandits allegedly from Samburu County, raided Njaruine village and stole more than 100 cattle.
Similarly, in the same Sub-County in September 2023, one person was confirmed dead while three others were injured from gunshot wounds after being attacked by bandits.
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About 17 armed bandits ambushed herders in Naatho area of Mutuati sub-county while they were grazing their livestock.
According to Mutuati Sub-County Police Commander Joseph Chesire, police officers from Astu Bullu camp, GSU and NPR managed to recover 91 goats, 5 cattle and a donkey belonging to the herders.
Elsewhere, two people including a herder were shot and killed in a banditry attack in a village in Kangeta, Meru in December 2023.
The other victim was a suspected bandit who had three different identity cards in his pockets, police said.
Three herders who were grazing 85 heads of cattle said they were attacked by eight gunmen who killed one of the herders.
The herders who were also armed hit back and killed one of the attackers as they raised the alarm for help.
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