Government launches crackdown on illegal firearms in Migori

Kisilu Mutua Migori County Commissioner addresses insecurity issues at his office in Migori town. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

The government has launched a crackdown on illegal firearms in Migori County.

Migori County Commissioner Kisilu Mutua said the exercise, which was started in Nyatike Sub-County, targets the entire county.

This comes a week after a youthful businessman was shot dead at the Osiri area in Nyatike by unknown assailants.

Migori has experienced several incidents where gun-wielding gangs have been terrorising residents from different parts of the county.

Traders have been targeted by the gangs in the attacks, with the youthful businessman’s attack coming months after a female MPesa agent was killed in Migori town in late October last year.

The gangs have been noted to be notorious in Isebania town, Kuria West Sub-County, where several traders had been shot dead moments before closing their business premises.

“We have had very disturbing cases in Isebania,” the county commissioner stated.

Mr Mutua highlighted that the operation would cover the Kuria region and Migori town, where they are targeting to mop up illegal firearms.

“This is an operation that will go on in Migori. From Nyatike, we will be heading to Kuria,” Mutua remarked, saying that criminals were using illegal firearms to terrorise residents.

He said they would target the individuals because the government was doing due diligence to have a profile on who those people were.

Migori residents who now live in fear have since raised concerns over growing insecurity in the county.

“We no longer feel safe as business people,” said Paul Mwita, a resident of Migori town.

Residents want police to move swiftly and ensure that no more lives are lost and that the criminal gangs causing terror are arrested.

They said they wanted to go about their businesses with the assurance that they will not face attack and lose their lives and property to criminal gangs who come armed and ready to kill.