Tension is building up in Songok village of Korpu location in North Pokot along the border of West Pokot and Turkana counties, after suspected bandits staged an ambush attack on Friday evening.
The attack that occured at around 5 pm saw the bandits driving away unknown number of livestock before attacking Namuke Lopetangile, a national police reservists who was looking after his animals before he narrowly escaped the attack.
The bandits stole a number of livestock belonging to Lopetangile (NPR), Cheposekek Namwara (widow), Chemkany Namwara (Widow), Chepokanna Namwara (Widow) and Cheplok Namwara (widow) all widows to late Namwara Lorumumo who was killed by bandits.
Confirming the incident, Ombolion Chief Joseph Korkimul said the bandits took an advantage of Lopetangile, Who is living with disability after he was attacked months ago but survived with gun shot wounds.
“This village is becoming a war zone now, I have always said, let the government employ modern ways of dealing with bandits, let the government deploy more police reservists in this area to beef up security, this will scare bandits and peace will prevail, we can’t be losing our people every day, four months ago bandits killed my relative, the NPR and the government has not done anything to his family or deal with curlprits, am still mourning,” said Korkimul.
Takaywa, Songok and Kases villages have been a field of battle between bandits and locals for months now, making the area scary and unfavourable for human settlement.
Last month, a group of bandits from Lorogon village raided Lonyangalem Primary School vandalizing school infrastructure before stealing furniture at the school.
The school that was started in 2006 has been on and off due to runaway insecurity in the region.
In response, West Pokot County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi said the security team in the area has taken up the matter to pursue the bandits and ensure that the stolen livestock are returned.
In his speech during the Jamhuri day celebrations, Governor Simon Kachapin maintained that West Pokot has been secure recording minimal cases of insecurity. This recent attack proves otherwise.
