Colombian missionary, driver injured in fresh highway banditry
Travellers cruise along Isiolo-Moyale highway at Logologo area in Marsabit county. Two police officers thwarted a potentially fatal highway banditry attack along the highway.
A Colombian woman missionary based at the Nariokotome Mission in Turkana North sub-county was injured on Thursday in a highway bandit attack at Kainuk on the Kitale-Lodwar road.
Turkana South Sub County Police Commander Robert Kibuchi said the driver of the targeted 11-seat public service vehicle that was heading to Kitale from Lodwar was also injured.
"One kilometre past the KWS gate in Kainuk, the driver of the PSV belonging to Lodwar Classic Shuttle encountered armed bandits, who first tried to stop him but he sped off, prompting them to shoot at the vehicle where they injured the two," Mr Kibuchi said.
He noted that the driver was injured in one of his thighs while the woman had a bullet lodged in her leg.
After first aid at Kainuk Health Centre, the woman was airlifted to Nairobi for further treatment.
The police boss said preliminary investigations indicated that the attackers might have been targeting the missionary.
The woman, he said, had revealed that she had cash in her bag. She was sitting in the front passenger seat.
Police were investigating whether the woman was being tracked by armed attackers from Turkana North.
Mr Kibuchi said that no vehicle had been attacked for the previous three years.
"We have stepped up our security surveillance and patrols along the highway between Ortum in West Pokot County and Lokichar in Turkana County to assure motorists of their security as we kick off investigations into the isolated insecurity incident," he said.
Last month, during a public baraza at Kainuk that was held after bandit attacks rose on the border, Turkana County leaders led by Governor Josphat Nanok urged the Ministry of Interior to beef up security along the Turkana-Pokot border by recruiting vetted National Police Reservist (NPR).
Mr Nanok said that they had established that armed bandits target remote locations that they know are hard for police officers to reach.
"Police officers can't be everywhere including grazing fields where most banditry and cattle theft incidents happen. Police reservists who live with villagers should be recruited as we also expect a fresh disarmament exercise," the governor said.
