Police officer shot dead in daytime ambush by bandits in Isiolo

Tension is escalating rapidly in Isiolo County after suspected bandits launched a daring daytime ambush on Wednesday in Nyachis, shooting a National Police Reservist (NPR) officer who was escorting Safaricom technicians.

According to Isiolo County Police Commander Isaac Sang, the heavily armed attackers targeted the vehicle while it was en route to a Safaricom telecommunications site, catching the maintenance team and their security detail by surprise.

 This latest violence strikes a community already reeling from a devastating raid in the Gotu area just a week ago, where ruthless bandits killed five people, including two Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) officers, an NPR officer, and two civilians during a search and recovery operation.

That previous massacre sparked widespread outrage, leading angry residents to paralyze transport along the busy Isiolo - Moyale highway as they demanded immediate security interventions.

Wednesday’s bold assault on vital infrastructure workers demonstrates the worsening audacity of bandits operating within the region, complicating government efforts to restore order despite ongoing police operations and the deployment of armored vehicles to hunt down the suspects.

Top county leaders and distraught residents continue to call upon the Ministry of Interior and national security agencies to decisively dismantle the heavily armed networks terrorizing Isiolo, warning that the unchecked violence is systematically destroying local livelihoods, isolating communities, and breaking down public peace.

Police are expected to comb and conduct a thorough operation in the area tomorrow as manhunt for the assailants continue.