Isiolo County, Kenya| A daring bandit attack in Biliqo Marara township, Chari Ward, Isiolo County, has left one man critically injured and a community shaken, raising fresh questions about the effectiveness of an ongoing government security operation in the region.
According to local sources, the raid occurred at dusk on April 13 when a group of about seven heavily armed individuals stormed a homestead within the township and abducted a young boy as he was tending to livestock returning from grazing.
The boy, believed to be around seven years old, was taken from the family’s compound alongside hundreds of goats and sheep.
The child’s loud screams reportedly alerted his father, a middle-aged man, who rushed to his rescue. In the process of trying to intervene, the attackers—allegedly from neighboring Samburu County—opened fire, seriously injuring him.
The man is currently being transported to Isiolo Town in critical condition. While the exact nature and location of his injuries remain unclear, local authorities have confirmed his condition is life-threatening.
The commotion caused by the gunshots attracted the attention of the community, prompting a swift response from the local National Police Reservists (NPR).
The intervention forced the bandits to abandon both the abducted child and the stolen livestock, retreating into the surrounding bushland.
All livestock have since been recovered and the child, though unharmed physically, is reportedly suffering psychological trauma. “He needs urgent counseling, especially after witnessing his father’s shooting,” a community source told reporters.
Residents believe the assailants remain in the vicinity and are calling for increased security reinforcements, warning that the area remains vulnerable to further attacks.
The community is particularly alarmed that the incident occurred within a residential setting—marking a dangerous shift from past attacks which were typically confined to remote grazing fields.
This latest incident comes just a day after two people were reportedly killed in Kulamawe, Kinna Ward, also in Isiolo County. The victims were buried earlier today, adding to the growing anxiety among residents over escalating insecurity in the region.
Ironically, the Biliqo Marara raid occurred amidst an ongoing national security operation dubbed ‘Operation Ondoa Jangili’ led by the National Police Service (NPS).
The operation was launched with the stated aim of eradicating criminal elements and dismantling networks linked to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), insurgent groups from Ethiopia’s Oromia region.
The Kenyan government has accused these groups of engaging in criminal enterprises including drug trafficking, abductions, and cross-border violence, particularly in the northern frontier counties of Marsabit and Isiolo. The OLA-OLF has denied these allegations.
Despite the operation’s heavy military footprint in the region, locals are questioning its efficacy in protecting residents.
The boldness and proximity of this recent attack have left many wondering how such an incursion could occur “right under the nose” of an intensive military presence.
“These attackers literally walked into a homestead and stole goats from a barn. If they can do that here, what’s stopping them anywhere else?” one resident asked.
There is growing concern that the military operation may be inadvertently exposing communities to greater harm by displacing criminal groups into civilian-populated areas, or by neglecting other hotspots known for harboring armed raiders.
Locals are particularly puzzled by what they perceive as the government’s reluctance to crack down on armed militias operating from Samburu County, which has long been a source of insecurity for Isiolo and neighboring counties such as Marsabit, Baringo, and West Pokot.
Critics of Operation Ondoa Jangili have also raised alarm over alleged human rights violations committed by security forces during the operation.
This was further reinforced by the report of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights(KNCHR) released on March 4 which levelled several accusations against the operation including human rights abuses, torture, theft and forceful disappearances including the extra-judicial killing of one person.
Reports of arbitrary arrests, harassment, and mistreatment of civilians have surfaced, with many residents feeling that instead of enhancing safety, the operation has deepened mistrust between the state and local communities.
As of the time of publishing, security agencies had not issued any official statement regarding the Biliqo Marara raid.
The residents of Isiolo County continue to live under the shadow of fear, demanding urgent and holistic interventions to restore peace and rebuild trust between the government and the people it purports to protect.
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