Police in Turkana county have shot dead three bandits during a shootout at Lorugum village and recovered an AK 47 rifle with three bullets in the process

Among those killed is a notorious bandit identified as Simon Egielan Lopongore.

Lopongore, 37, had three active court cases including robbery with violence, gang-rape and threatening to kill. Police officers said Lopongorei had been under investigation for several crimes such as highway robberies, stock theft and possession of illicit firearms for hire within Loima subcounty.

The second suspect killed has been identified as  Lokucha Ngeruk, 39, who was believed to be a close associate of Lopongorei.

Ngeruk had been on the run after having being identified as the killer of a police officer at Kangalita about three months ago. He was allegedly part of a group that organised and ambushed the commander of Lorugum police station on December 28, 2023.

The officer was wounded but an alleged accomplice of Ngeruk was shot dead.

The last victim during the shoot out is a 21-year-old identified as Liya Logumo.

Police said efforts were ongoing to trace the other bandits who escaped the shootout.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, said that the security situation in Turkana County has considerably improved immensely since the commencement of Operation Maliza Uhalifu a year ago.

Kindiki also made the remarks on Thursday when he held a status of County Security Appraisal Forum with the Turkana County Security and Intelligence Agency heads at Lodwar Town. He said cattle raiding cattle in northern Kenya has over the years become an organised criminal enterprise responsible for deaths.

In addition to that Kindiki assured the people that the government is sustaining the war on banditry in order to ensure recovery of stolen livestock