Police launch multi-agency crackdown on banditry in Meru, Isiolo, Samburu and Laikipia

In a statement issued on Saturday, the service said the operation aims to restore order in affected areas of Meru County, including Buuri East, Tigania East and West, as well as Igembe North, Central and Mutuati, where residents have suffered losses of livestock, injuries and fatalities linked to armed bandits.

The security crackdown will also extend to key hotspots in neighbouring counties, including Mukogondo Forest in Laikipia, Lantana and Sereolipi in Samburu East, and Kipsing and Ngaremara in Isiolo. 

Authorities noted that the operation involves a significant deployment of personnel, supported by air surveillance and response units.

According to the National Police Service, the multi-agency team has been tasked with recovering stolen cattle, seizing illegal firearms and ammunition, and arresting those behind the attacks, including suspected financiers of banditry networks.

The agency described the recent wave of attacks as unacceptable, emphasising its commitment to ending the cycle of violence and restoring normalcy in the affected regions.

Residents in the targeted areas have been urged to cooperate fully with security officers, provide intelligence, and report any suspicious activity.

The operation comes amid renewed government efforts to tackle insecurity in Kenya’s northern and eastern regions, where cattle rustling and banditry have remained persistent challenges despite previous security interventions.