A manhunt is underway in Meru County after bandits shot dead a resident and injured a senior police officer in Mutuati sub-county.
An unknown number of bandits raided the Northern Grazing Zone on Tuesday afternoon, stealing an unconfirmed number of cattle.
Mutuati Division Assistant County Commissioner, Moses Lerionka, confirmed the incident. He stated that the attackers shot and killed a local farmer, identified as Kabaara, while he was working on his farm.
Lerionka said a multi-agency security team, comprising local police, the General Service Unit (GSU), and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, swiftly pursued the criminals, and during the ensuing shootout, the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) for Mutuati Police Station sustained gunshot wounds, and he is currently hospitalised, undergoing treatment.
ACC Lerionka assured the public that security operations are ongoing and normalcy has returned to the area. He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious individuals.
Meanwhile, local residents Ronald Mugambi and Samuel Thuranira have condemned the attack.
They are calling on the government to recruit more National Police Reservists (NPR), noting that local reservists understand the terrain better and can provide vital support to security officers during emergencies.
