Four people, among them three police officers, were killed after an unknown number of raiders ambushed them on Saturday afternoon in Kapedo in Turkana County.
The General Service Unit (GSU) officers were on a rescue mission of their colleagues, who were being held hostage by the bandits, when the armed gang confronted them in a shoot-out that saw them and a teacher killed while others sustained injuries.
The incident, which took place some 12 kilometres from Kapedo centre, also saw a police truck and Landcruiser sprayed with bullets before the Landcruiser was torched.
This occurred barely days after a police officer and a teacher were injured when raiders set ablaze a police vehicle that was ferrying KCSE examination papers to Kapedo Mixed Secondary School last week.
Police ambush
Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, who was expected to visit the area Sunday, said the officers were ambushed as they rushed to reinforce their colleagues following an earlier raid in Kiserian.
"We are now pursuing the attackers some of who are believed to have sustained injuries," he told The Standard.
He said the raiders had first attacked a village in Baringo County when there was a call for reinforcement to pursue them.
However, according to Kapedo Ward Rep Digma Chagem the GSU truck, which was the first to come under attack from the armed raiders, was headed to Kapedo from Marigat in the neigbouring Baringo County.
Mr Chagem said the truck was carrying officers, a teacher, an unidentified woman and a GSU inspector who sustained hand injuries.
He said the incident took place at a bridge where the truck was sprayed with bullets while the cruiser was torched.
"It is unfortunate that the attack has claimed innocent lives, the Government needs to stop these attacks because it now appears that nobody is safe in this region," he said.
Sunday, Turkana County Education Director Nicodemus Anyang said two police choppers were hovering above Kapedo.
He said one chopper was bringing KCSE papers meant to be sat today, while the other is currently searching for officers believed to be held up at the scene.
Turkana East MP Nicholas Ngikot blamed the country's security bosses for failing to contain the situation.
"Interior Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku and the parliamentary Committee on Security Chairperson Asman Kamama ought to resign for failing to provide a solution to the escalating attacks," he said.
Meanwhile, the county's marking of state-owned firearms has come to an end.
No firearms
Speaking during an experimental exercise at a hotel in Lodwar, County Commissioner, Julius Mathenge said he is glad the United Nations had supported the process since it will enable officials trace guns used during burglaries.
"We need to come up with measures, such as disarmament, so that we can live in peace. I look forward to the day when firearms will be in the hands of security personnel only," he said.
