Police deployed as Nakuru gangs attack motorists and passengers

A contingent of security officers was deployed on Saturday night to tame a daring gang terrorising and robbing people in broad daylight along the Nakuru- Mogotio road.

The gang, allegedly armed, has been terrorising motorists and pedestrians, robbing them of goods and blocking roads.

For the past week, the locals and motorists have reported using an alternative route to access their homes in fear of the gang, which would block the road and demand money.

Along the said road at the dumpsite, windscreen glasses were left on the road, which the locals tell of a horror encounter at the hands of the gang.

Raphael Mogare, a local, said that the skirmishers started when Dr Magare Gikenyi went to the Gioto estate to distribute food during Valentine's but was met with resistance.

“As he talked to the locals, the gang came and assaulted him and robbed him of his phone,” he said.

Since then, he added something that used to be a phone theft, transformed into highway robbery.

He said that motorcycle operators and motorists had it rough as they were robbed and their vehicles were stoned.

Another source said the insecurity has been a menace in the area, claiming that locals have been stabbed, robbed, and their businesses broken into.

“Business people in the area have been forced to close their businesses early due to the increased insecurity,” he added.

He alleged that the gang is affiliated with a local politician in the area, blaming him for bailing them out each time they are arrested.

“The politicians know themselves, it's unfortunate that the electorates and citizens have to pay, not that they are criminals, but because a politician has failed in taming his gang,” he added.

The operation, he stated, has at least been contained as of Sunday morning, calling on neighbouring estates to help in reporting suspicions of people who might have escaped the operation.

This gang, he said, remained a threat to security, hoping the operation would be intensified.

“They blocked the road, forcing matatus to pay Sh50, private vehicles Sh1,000, motorcycle Sh100, and robbed the one who failed to pay,” he noted.

Gikenyi said that he was accosted by youth while at Hilton village, who assaulted and robbed his phone worth Sh200,000.

“The youth came into the car armed with knives, demanding money, threatening to assault us. Within a second, they took the things we had; they are daring, I have operated on four patients knifed by this gang,” Gikenyi added.

He reported the case, and an arrest was made.

“Insecurity cannot be sought out by one arm of the government; we need stakeholders' engagement in reducing it,” he said.

Nakuru Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru confirmed that there has been insecurity along the Gioto near the dumpsite where the gang has been robbing motorists.

He claimed that the gang were from the neighbouring village, which has a high rate of unemployed youths.

Three days ago, he added that some were arrested in relation to assault and stealing Gikenyi’s phone.

The gang retaliated by blocking the road as a statement.

He stated that following the power wrangle in the gang popularly known as Confirm Gang, the split has led to the emergence of small groups.