Tension high in parts of Laikipia as banditry attacks escalate

Tension is high in parts of Githiga Ward in Laikipia West Constituency after the resumption of banditry attacks in Mbogoine, Matuiku, Rubere and village-eighteen areas.

This follows the kidnapping of a middle aged woman at 18-village last evening, and reported theft incidences in several homes in the area.

However, the woman was later released before she was driven towards the nearby Laikipia Nature Conservancy by three gun-toting bandits after they heard that security officers were pursuing them.

It is an incident that left Esther Namoi, a mother of seven children distraught and disturbed, a matter the forced her to seek refuge at a neighbor house.

She recounted how she was abducted near the LNC gate while in the company of her two children.

She revealed that the bandits had each armed themselves with a firearm, but her children managed to escape leaving their mother at the mercy of the criminals.

In another incident in the same area, the bandits had also broken into one of the nearby homes and managed to steal a motorcycle which they rode on LNC.

However, while contacted, security agencies have confirmed the incidents saying they were pursuing the bandits.

Local leaders and residents have condemned the attacks lamenting that despite heavy presences of security agencies, the bandits were still having a field day terrorizing innocent residents.

They lamented that the bandits, after stealing livestock, have now turned to stealing household food items and would commit the crimes in broad daylight.

Githiga Ward MCA Peter Thomi and his nominated counterpart Irene Wachuka have called on the government to intensify its security patrols in the area and also weed out the bandits to ensure the safety of the local people.

They alleged that rarely a day passes without an attack incident being reported adding that it was unbearable when police officers were being targeted as are residents.

They claimed that cases of criminal attacks from the bandits, livestock thefts and illegal grazers were rampant despite assurance from the government that they would be dealt with.