Did the police ignore early warning from residents?

By Job Weru

Police and the Laikipia North District Security Committee were caught flatfooted in yesterday’s massacre, despite an early warning by residents.

Residents and local leaders claimed they had received information last week that raiders were planning an attack and forwarded it to police.

"We informed the security people, but they took no action. That is why it was so bloody," a resident, Ms Sarah Lekorere, told The Standard.

Sosian Councillor Jeremiah Lemiruni said they had to defend themselves because police were slow in responding.

Shoot out

Lemiruni said locals and Kenya Police Reservists engaged the rustlers in a shoot out.

"They were many and heavily armed, but we tried to repel them," said Lemiruni.

The civic leader accused the security committee of doing little to protect residents, saying police arrived at the scene at 11am, about six hours after the raid.

Area DC Mr Amos Mariba who spoke to The Standard from the scene admitted that reports had been made, but noted that they indicated that several villages would be attacked.

"We alerted all regular, Anti-Stock Theft and Administration Police stations… and they acted swiftly," he said.

Swift response

He absolved the security committee of blame, saying police responded swiftly and shot dead 10 raiders.

Mariba said more than 70 head of cattle that were stolen were also recovered.

He, however, confided that the more than 200 attackers waylaid security details and engaged them in shoot outs, while the gangs also circled Naibor and Lonyiek AP posts as their accomplices attacked an area named PND.

"The officers from nearby posts could not respond immediately, since they first had to ward off the attackers," he said.

 

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