By Betty Luke
Isiolo North MP Hassan Odha has urged the government to carry out a security operation in Yamicha and Dadachabasa locations in Merti to flush out illegal herders believed to have been behind the recent banditry attack that left three people dead and several others nursing gunshot wounds.
The attackers, said to have come from Wajir West, also stole 1000 cows during the Friday’s 4am raid at Bulle village in Yamicha, Merti Sub-County and drove them towards Arbijan according to authorities.
The MP said the armed herders from Wajir had forcefully invaded the Isiolo grazing field with intention to displace the host community and take over the management of the pastures.
He said it was sad that after accommodating some herders from other counties, they were turning against host communities and mercilessly killing people while also stealing their livestock impoverishing them.
“The government should extend the operation in Marsabit to Isiolo-Wajir stretch and especially in Yamicha and Dadachabasa locations to flush out illegal herders because we cannot continue losing lives and properties in the hands of criminals disguising as herders,” said Mr Odha.
The security team, he said, should first order them to leave willingly and if they fail to heed, be forcefully evicted.
The legislator faulted security team from the Wajir side over failure to act on an intelligence report of a looming attack at the village he claimed surfaced three days earlier.
“If they (Wajir security officers) felt the criminals could overwhelm them, they should have asked for reinforcement from the region instead of letting them proceed with the crime,” said Mr Odha.
The MP also hit out at Wajir politicians for saying that nine people killed from the county were attacked on Wajir side maintaining that the incident occurred about 50 kilometres from the border on Isiolo side.
“They should instead be helping the security team to recover the animals and arrest the suspects’ not spreading propaganda,” Mr Odha noted.
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said manhunt for the criminals was underway and assured that his team was doing everything possible to recover the stolen animals.
