Names of specific areas identified as bandits hideouts by gov't

Security agencies have been undertaking and engaging in meticulous intelligence gathering in the last 25 days, and have come up with areas that act as hideouts for the bandits in North Rift Region, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki has said.

Despite a police-led joint security operation in conjunction with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) been in force in the volatile region for three weeks now, CS Kindiki rues that bandits have continued staging deadly attacks on civilians.

"...terror gangs of highly radicalized bandits have continued to challenge authority with an incredible display of impunity unacceptable in a Constitutional democracy where the rule of law is a foundational bedrock principle upon which our nationhood is built," CS Kindiki warns.

And while these criminals have terrorised innocent residents for years without consequences, CS Kindiki now vows to put a "historical" stop to this vice once and for all.

"By trying to demonstrate that they can disrupt an ongoing operation and that they can withstand our fire power, these thugs have invited the Government to take the war to their hideouts in remote forests, caves, ravines, gorges and escarpments," adds CS Kindiki.

Bandits hideouts

These areas identified by security agencies as hideouts to bandits include;

1. Korkoron Hills, Tandare Valley and Silale Gorges in Baringo County,
2. Mukogodo Forest; Kamwenje, Warero and Ndonyoriwo; Lekuruki Hills, Losos and Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in Laikipia County,
3. Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia and Lekadaar Escarpments; Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley in Samburu County, and
4. Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lebokat, Ombollion, Nadome and Kamur caves in Turkana County; the Turkwell Escarpment at the interface of West Pokot and Turkana Counties.

These areas have since been declared scenes of crime, with CS Kindiki ordering all law-abiding citizens to vacate them by 8:30 am Monday, March 13.