Authorities recover twelve of 25 heads of stolen cattle

Marsabit,

Wednesday November 15, 2023

KNA by Sebastian Miriti

The authorities in Marsabit and Samburu Counties have recovered some of the livestock taken away by highway bandits at Milgis on the Marsabit-Isiolo highway last Thursday in which 25 heads of cattle were stolen.

A combined effort of chiefs, police, elders and members of the public managed to recover 12 heads of cattle that were being hidden on top of a thickly forested hill in Bori in Lependera area of Samburu North sub-location, which straddles the common boundary of the two counties.

Area assistant chief Samson Lekichiling speaking on telephone said that three suspected rustlers, two of whom were armed with a G3rifle and a crush assault rifle respectively were guarding the livestock when the pursuing team traced them.

Chief Lekichiling said the team took more than twelve hours to track down the rustlers owing to dense-thorny thickets and the ongoing heavy rains.

The administrator added that the raiders managed to escape the dragnet which consisted among others police officers from Ngurunit police post, members of the public and rangers from Ndoto wildlife conservancy.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the raiders in last week’s attack on a lorry that was transporting the livestock to Nairobi from Marsabit were six in number and reportedly divided the animals into two lots but not before slaughtering and feasting on one of the bulls.

The recovery comes barely a day after Marsabit County Commissioner Nobert Komora warned of dire consequences on any attempts to reintroduce the outlawed practice of cattle rustling.

Mr Komora, while confirming the recovery of the livestock, said the search for the remaining heads of the cattle has been intensified.

The county Commissioner said that law enforcement agents will do whatever it takes to recover two government guns that were stolen during the incident.

He said that a security meeting between the county security team and elders from Laisamis sub-county has been scheduled for tomorrow to explore ways of improving collaboration on security.

 Mr Komora urged members of the public to continue supporting the government in fighting crime by not offering refuge to suspected criminals.

The highway raid also claimed the life of a police officer on escort and left another with serious gun injuries.

Courtesy; KNA