By ROBERT KIPLAGAT

Baringo County: Tension is high in Lokis area in East Pokot district, Baringo County, after armed suspected Turkana raiders abducted two children and fled with 65 herd of cattle.

The raid comes barely a week after Turkana rustlers invaded Kapedo area and stole over 500 livestock and injured two men, forcing over 50 families to flee from the area for fear of attacks.

According to locals, the raiders, who invaded the village at around 4pm on Sunday, found the two children aged 14 and 10 years herding, abducted them, and made away with the cattle.

Area OCPD Fredrick Ochieng told The Standard that a contingent of GSU officers and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) have been deployed to pursue the stolen livestock and rescue the abducted children.

“It was reported that six armed raiders suspected to be from Turkana East invaded Lokis area, and abducted two brothers identified as Kanyekera, 14, and Longacha Longoleki, 10, and fled with 65 cows,” said Ochieng.

He said the stolen livestock belonged to the Pokot pastoralists Longoleki Kaloki and Akorng’olei Lotodo and were driven towards Lokwomsing in the neighbouring East Turkana district.

The police boss however, acknowledged that tension was building in the area but security was firm on the ground. “We are working with my Turkana East counterpart in efforts to recover the stolen animals as well as in tracing the two abducted boys,” added Ochieng.

Insecurity along the borders of East Pokot and Turkana East has lately been on the rise and local leaders led by area Member of the County Assembly Stephen Maklap has expressed fears that the attacks could spark a new wave of conflict between the two communities if the government delays to act.

“We need the government to rescue the children as soon as possible and recover the stolen livestock. If this issue is not properly addressed, it might bring bad blood between these two communities,” said Maklap.

Recently, Baringo county assembly raised concern over alleged encroachment of its territories by neighbouring counties among then Turkana, using attacks to displace residents occupying the land.

The motion moved by Mumberes/Majimazuri Ward MCA Peter Kimani was supported by majority members who recommended a team be set up to investigate the boundary issue for appropriate action to be done.

Ewalel/Chapchap MCA Richard Kitilit termed the matter weighty and demanded immediate action on the issue to avert any possibly conflict.