Lodwar residents decry rising wave of insecurity

Residents of Lodwar town and its environs are living in fear following a surge in violent crime, including night-time robberies, muggings and brutal killings.

Armed gangs have reportedly been targeting boda boda operators, shoppers and local businesses, triggering widespread public outcry over what locals perceive as inaction by security agencies.

Many community members claim that the insecurity has reached alarming levels, with growing fears for their safety, especially at night.

“We no longer feel safe, even in our homes. Gangs are breaking into houses, robbing people, and attacking anyone they encounter. We need urgent intervention,” stated one resident.

Reports indicate that criminals wielding crude weapons have been terrorising residents and looting valuables in a spate of increasingly brazen attacks.

Tensions escalated recently when boda boda riders staged protests in Lodwar town following the killing of one of their colleagues in Nakwamekwi village. The victim was reportedly ambushed while responding to a customer call in the early hours of the morning.

Confirming the incident, Turkana Central Deputy Police Commander Evans Ombui said officers are investigating the brutal murder of the middle-aged man

“The victim, who was not a registered boda boda operator but worked as a driver, had borrowed his employer’s motorcycle. It appears he knew the assailants before being ambushed,” Ombui explained.

Police said the man sustained severe head injuries, believed to have been inflicted with a blunt object. Good Samaritans who heard his distress calls alerted authorities, but the victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital.

A mobile phone recovered at the scene is undergoing forensic analysis. They are following up on several leads, including the victim’s last known contacts.

Separately, police have arrested four out of six suspected armed robbers believed to be responsible for a series of thefts targeting shops, supermarkets, groceries, and hotels in Lodwar town, Nawoitorong, and Kanamkemer villages.