Police Recover 3,000 Goats and Sheep After Bandit Attack in Marsabit

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 4 – Multi-agency security teams have recovered more than 3,000 stolen sheep and goats following separate operations in Marsabit, Samburu and Isiolo counties.

The National Police Service (NPS) said officers recovered 3,000 sheep and goats in Loiyangalani Sub-County, Marsabit County, on Tuesday, following an armed bandit attack on a group of herders.

According to the police, the herders were moving their livestock from Mouwokiteng towards Lardapach when they were ambushed by suspected armed bandits who seized the animals and began driving them towards Arapal.

A multi-agency response team was immediately mobilised and launched an operation to intercept the attackers.

The security officers eventually caught up with the suspects and recovered all 3,000 animals, according to the police statement.

The recovery followed another security operation conducted on November 2 under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, which targeted suspected livestock thieves operating across the region.

In the second incident, officers stationed in the Shaba area received intelligence that suspected bandits had raided Archers in Samburu East and stolen a herd of sheep and goats.

The suspects were reportedly driving the livestock towards the Manyatta Zebra area of Isiolo County.

A multi-agency team launched a pursuit, tracking the suspects to the Oltungai Plateau, where an exchange of gunfire ensued.

The police said the suspects fled following the confrontation, allowing officers to recover 75 sheep and goats.

The recovered livestock was subsequently identified and returned to its rightful owners.

The National Police Service commended security agencies involved in the operations as well as members of the local community for providing information and supporting efforts to recover the stolen animals.

The latest recoveries form part of ongoing security operations targeting livestock theft and armed banditry in northern Kenya, where pastoralist communities have repeatedly faced attacks resulting in the loss of livestock and disruption of livelihoods.

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