By Augustine Ehikioya
Moving against criminality, four Police officers in Kenya have thwarted a bandit attack in Samburu county.
The armed raiders numbering about 50 had staged an offensive along the Ndonyo Wasin – Sereolipi Road in the county.
A Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ (DCI) statement made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA) had disclosed this on Wednesday.
It said “The raiders who were about 50 ambushed a convoy of vehicles coming from Ndonyo Wasin market, targeting herds of cattle that were being ferried in lorries from the market.
“Unknown to the raiders, a contingent of Police officers based at Sere-Olipi Police Station was escorting the convoy closely behind.
“Immediately the raiders opened fire to stop the convoy, the officers led by Inspector Mwangale jumped from their beast the all-terrain Toyota land cruiser, took their positions and responded to the provocation.
“But the battle aggressive raiders not known to give up in a duel for cattle, tilted their fire towards the Police vehicle and fired back fiercely, missing the driver by inches.”
This, the statement said, prompted the Commander, Inspector Mwangale to deploy the gunner on duty, who was in possession of a general purpose machine gun and sufficient ammunition.
“What followed was an avalanche of fire as the gunner unleashed the machine’s ferocious firepower, clearing all the bushes used by the thugs for cover and exposing the over 50 bandits armed with AK-47 rifles.
“As the GPMG flattened the area, its scary sound reverberated across the hills and valleys that are characteristic of the Samburu county.
“The bandits took flight to different directions some leaving their firearms behind, and the worried cattle rattled inside the lorries.
“An unknown number of bandits were fatally wounded following the attack.
“Thankfully, the officers escaped the attack unscathed and escorted the cattle safely to their owners,” the statement concluded