Two held over kidnapping of high school girls in Elgeyo-Marakwet County

Police are holding two men in connection with the abduction of two high school students in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

The two are alleged to have separately waylaid the students while posing as employees of a bank in Iten town and lured them into their houses before sexually molesting them.

And now security officers in the region have raised alarm over the rising number of abductions targeting school girls.

Keiyo North Administration Police commander Joseph Biwott said: "We shall take them to court and we challenge the public to be more vigilant and help security officers contain the worrying trend." Mr Biwott said there has been an upsurge of suicide cases in the area and called for counselling among the youth, saying the cases they had received so far involved the youth. Elsewhere, residents of Kocholwo Sub-Location, Keiyo South Sub-County are living in fear after a wild animal invaded the area and killed several sheep.

Residents said livestock farmers are desperate for a solution with some opting to create rooms within their houses to prevent the animal from killing the remaining sheep.

"So far we have lost over 20 sheep in the past week and we are counting more losses since the animals attack at night and indiscriminately suck blood and abandon the carcass," said Isaac Kemboi, a local who has lost 10 sheep so far.

He said the wild animal was wreaking havoc in the entire Kerio Valley and they fear losing their livelihoods since they rely on income from the sale of livestock.

"The animal has been attacking sheep across the villages and we do not know whether to sell all our stock before they are decimated by the marauding animal," he added.

Area assistant chief Stephen Kimutai said the animal has not been traced despite the villagers conducting a search in nearby thickets in an attempt to flush out the carnivore. The administrator asked the Kenya Wild Service to help trace the animal and kill it.