NAIROBI— Suspected cattle rustlers Wednesday shot dead a police officer attached to the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) at Qubi-Qallo area in Saku Constituency, Marsabit County.
Another senior officer of the rank of a chief inspector from the General Service Unit (GSU) was critically injured after he was shot in the right chest following a fierce fire exchange between security officers and the bandits.
In addition, Marsabit County Commissioner (CC) Paul Rotich said that a six-year-old boy also sustained serious gunshot injuries on the head after the attack by suspected armed livestock raiders in a separate incident in Kargi area, Loiyangalani sub-county.
On the officers, Rotich said they were among a contingent of security officers that were pursuing cattle rustlers who stole livestock from the neighbouring Laisamis constituency three days ago.
The county commissioner said the officers managed to recover 51 heads of cattle and one donkey adding that the operation to flush out the bandits and recover the remaining animals and their illegal firearms has been intensified.
He added that the unknown number of armed bandits who ambushed the security officers in a place full of thickets are believed to have suffered fatalities but the number was yet to be known.
The CC who is also the chairman of the county security and intelligence committee warned that the government would firmly deal with anybody engaging in the outlawed practice of cattle rustling and asked parents to guide their sons on the best methods of earning a living.
Rotich said the injured officer and the boy who were rushed to Marsabit County Referral Hospital were later airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment.
“The medics say the officer is out of danger and was responding well to treatment,” said the CC.
The body of the slain officer who was shot on the forehead has since been moved to the Marsabit County Referral Hospital Mortuary.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK