NPR officer was shot down in Sololo Sub-County Marsabit in a suspected revenge mission by drug peddlers in the area. Photo: NPS.
A National Police Reservist (NPR) was gunned down by unknown gunmen on Tuesday night in Walda area, Sololo Sub-County in Marsabit County, while returning from a traditional Borana Festival.
According to Deputy County Commissioner Sololo Sub-County Edward Goko, the officer in company of two other men was on a motorbike heading home, when they encountered the gunmen at around 10:00pm. Goko also confirmed that the officer’s gun was recovered from the scene.
He alleged that the criminals might have been on a revenge mission, following the recent crackdown on drug traffickers in the area that has been aided by NPR officers in Sololo, who have nabbed three people transporting bhang in the area.
“The three were returning from the Borana Festival, when they were ambushed by the criminals at around 10:00pm. The officer was the driver of the motorbike and was hit by the bullet and died on the spot, the others managed to get away. We suspect that the ambush could be a revenge mission following recent efforts by NPR to arrest those transporting drugs in the area,” Goko said.
Goko further added that the government will not stop its efforts in dealing with drug trafficking in the county and other illegal activities, with the influx of bhang a threat on the youths of Marsabit, stating that the government will wipe out their activities. As an operation involving officers and the army will be conducted in the area to track down the gunmen.
“We are going to do a joint operation with Kenya Army and police officers to ensure that we get all those involved in the transportation of bhang. We are going to ensure that the one who that killed our officer is dealt with, we are not gong to spare them,” he firmly stated.
The NPR officers nabbed residents transporting bhang worth millions of money in the area, which Goko said if not wiped up youths in the region will be hugely affected by recently witnessed heavy influx of bhang in the area.
