Insecurity prone areas in Isiolo to get more police reservists
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding who has announced that the government will deploy more National Police Reservists to tame banditry in hotspot areas.
The government has announced plans to deploy more National Police Reservists (NPRs) in insecurity prone areas of Isiolo in order to help tame banditry attacks that have claimed tens of lives in the recent past.
More than 70 people have been killed, dozens maimed and thousands of animals stolen in banditry attacks across the county over the last seven months.
Three people were last Sunday killed in two separate attacks in Kom, with one of them being retaliatory and happening after a man was gunned down by suspected bandits from Samburu while ferrying lime towards Kom in Chari ward.
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said the reservists will be deployed to Kom, Gotu, Bassa and Yamicha to aid in tackling insecurity in the region by offering quick response whenever bandits strike and supplement efforts by established police units.
“They will protect people and their properties and work closely with local police officers in repulsing attackers and cattle rustlers for sustained peace in the hotspot areas,” Mr Omoding said, though he did not reveal the exact number of NPRs who will be deployed.
This is in addition to more than 100 others who were deployed recently across the county.
Additional police camps
Mr Omoding said the government had established additional police camps in some of the areas to facilitate intensified patrols and for enhanced response to attacks.
Plans are underway to establish two police stations and administrative offices in Oldonyiro and Ngaremara to boost security in the region.
Last month, Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, while issuing out 6,000 title deeds in Ngaremara. revealed that Sh60 million had been set aside for the work.
Competition over resources, expansionist agenda and political intrigues are some of the contributors of conflicts between Isiolo pastoralists and their neighbours.
Mr Omoding recently said two General Service Unit (GSU) camps would be set up in Mlango and Attan in Burat and Ngaremara wards respectively to complement efforts by other police units and avert attacks along the county’s border with Samburu and Meru counties.
Residents have expressed optimism that the increased deployment will go a long way in offering timely response to attacks and in eradicating the insecurity menace.
