Two police stations to be built in Isiolo, State says
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding speaks during a meeting in Ngaremara on July 11, 2022. He said the government will establish police posts in Oldonyiro and Ngaremara and GSU camps in Mlango and Attan to address insecurity menace in the region.
Two police stations and administrative offices are to be established in Oldonyiro and Ngaremara in Isiolo County to boost security, the government says.
The two wards are among those that have witnessed a spate of attacks recently that claimed several lives and resulted in loss of property and livestock.
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said the stations, which will also include houses for officers, will bring services closer to the people and curb bandit attacks.
“The police stations will enable us to respond promptly to insecurity issues and end banditry for our people to go on with their activities uninterrupted,” Mr Omoding said.
National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, while issuing 6,000 title deeds in Ngaremara on Monday, said Sh60 million for the building of the two stations and administrative offices would be disbursed shortly for work to start.
Mr Omoding said the State will also establish two General Service Unit (GSU) camps in Mlango and Attan in Burat and Ngaremara to deal with attacks along the county’s borders with Samburu and Meru counties.
“The permanent camps will bring to an end the raids by bandits and complement efforts by other police units as well as the National Police Reservists,” he said.
Competition over resources, an expansionist agenda and political intrigues are some of the factors behind conflicts between pastoralists in Isiolo and neighbouring counties.
More than 30 people have been killed in the last four months, with an attack at the Oldonyiro KWS field station a week ago claiming the life of one officer and leaving another nursing gunshot wounds.
The criminals raided the station while the two officers were preparing supper. Mr Omoding said a manhunt for them was underway.
“We are pursuing some names and appeal to the public to volunteer information that will assist [police in arresting] those involved in the killing,” he said.
An operation is underway to weed out criminals and seize illegal firearms in the troubled Kom area and is in its second month.
