Police in Isiolo last night shot dead two armed militia who were escorting dozens of illegal immigrants at Duma area in Merti Sub-County.
A shootout between police officers on patrol and the armed criminals ensued lasting for nearly an hour after the latter fired at a police vehicle that the officers were in.
Some of the criminals, who were riding on motorcycles while escorting the aliens who were on foot, managed to escape.
County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said none of the officers was hurt during the fire exchange and two AK-47 rifles were recovered from the criminals.
On searching the area, Mr Omoding said, the officers found 30 Ethiopian nationals aged between 18 and 29 years who had no valid passes and later 40 others in the nearby thickets.
"We are hunting down other criminals who we suspect ran away," Mr Omoding said.
The officers also recovered an empty magazine, 16 spent cartridges, one military pouch, a mobile phone and one motorcycle.
The police vehicle, which was towed to Merti Police station, had bullet holes on windscreen, bonnet, cabin and driver's door.
He said the security team had stepped up measures to eradicated drug and human snuggling through deployment of a multi-agency team to notorious corridors being used by criminals.
The security team recently arrested 29 aliens enroute to Kinna from Yamicha through drone technology which Mr Omoding said aided in tracking the movement of criminals.
"Members of the public should also inform us in time whenever they come across suspicious people so that we effect arrests and tame the vice," he appealed.
