Gunmen raided a village in Ngarua, Laikipia county Sunday morning and killed one man before stealing his eight cows and 120 sheep.

Police said the deceased was shot in the stomach before he succumbed to the injuries at Ndindika Subcounty Hospital.

The attack took place at about 3 am at Kieni village where an unknown number of gunmen raided and opened fire at the deceased as he tried to intervene before leaving with the animals. 

The body was transferred to Sipili mortuary awaiting postmortem.

The incident came ahead of Monday’s deadline for villagers to leave caves and gorges in the area and other counties as the government plans the second phase of its operation.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki Sunday announced in the last seven months over 135 Kenyans, including 20 officers, have been killed by bandits.

He told those living in some targeted areas in the North Rift to leave by Monday 8.30 am amid questions about where the villagers will move to.

“Where do those who are calling the places home go?” asked a villager.

This is after it emerged some of those targeted are now disguised as ordinary villagers.

The affected areas are Korkoron Hills, Tandare Valley and Silale Gorges in Baringo, Mukogodo Forest, Kamwenje, Warero and Ndonyoriwo, Lekuruki Hills, Losos and Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in Laikipia and Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia and Lekadaar Escarpments, Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley in Samburu. 

The other areas are Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lebokat, Ombollion, Nadome and Kamur caves in Turkana, the Turkwell Escarpment at the interface of West Pokot and Turkana.

“The above specified spaces are hereby declared scenes of crime and any person found therein from Monday 13th March 2023, 0830 hours, will be treated as a suspect of armed banditry, or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry, or an accessory after the fact,” Kindiki said.

He revealed the attackers are hiding at the bottom of gorges, escarpments, caves, ravines, hills and forests.

He, therefore, ordered them to vacate the areas within 24 hours.

Witnesses said they had seen few people leave the area by the lapse of the deadline given.

Kindiki also announced low altitude flights will not be allowed in the parts of the north rift from March 13.

Kindiki said apart from aircrafts taking part in the ongoing security operation, low-altitude overflight by any other aircraft over any of the specified areas has been banned with effect from March 13 until further notice.

The second phase of the operation is ongoing in Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet. Cyrus Ombati, The Star