Two police officers among five killed in Isiolo attack

A search for the body of an elderly man reportedly killed by suspected bandits has ended in another deadly attack in Isiolo, leaving five people dead, including two police officers.

The incident happened in Gotu, where an armed group reportedly ambushed people who had gone looking for the body of the man in a grazing area in Chari Ward.

A gunfight followed between the attackers and security officers, according to reports from the area.

Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo confirmed the deaths on Wednesday and condemned the attack.

“I strongly condemn the latest bandit attack in the Gotu area that has claimed the lives of five people, including two police officers,” Guyo said.

He described the continued loss of civilians and security personnel to armed attacks as unacceptable and warned that the violence was disrupting livelihoods and creating fear in affected communities.

Search party caught in the attack

The victims were reportedly part of a group that had travelled to Madho Gurba Huka, a grazing area in Chari Ward, to search for the body of an elderly man allegedly killed the previous day.

The search party is said to have come under fire from suspected bandits.

Security officers responded, triggering an exchange of gunfire.

Among those killed were two police officers. One was reportedly a Chief Inspector attached to the Gotu Administration Police Service Tactical Unit camp.

Three elders who had joined the search party were also reportedly killed, according to a resident cited in the initial reports.

The identities of all five victims and the circumstances surrounding each death had not been fully detailed in the reports available by Wednesday afternoon.

There was also no immediate official account establishing the identity of the attackers.

Attack comes amid fresh insecurity concerns

The Gotu killings come less than two weeks after another armed encounter in Isiolo.

On September 7, a police constable was injured when an Anti-Stock Theft Unit patrol team was reportedly ambushed in Kakili, Burat Ward.

Police said the officers exchanged fire with suspected bandits during the incident. The officer suffered a gunshot wound to his right foot and was taken to hospital in stable condition.

Isiolo has also seen investigations into suspected organised armed crime.

In August, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said officers recovered an M16 rifle loaded with five rounds of ammunition in Kakili. Detectives were investigating its possible links to four murders in Isiolo and neighbouring Meru County. The DCI said ballistic examination would be used to establish the weapon's role.

The firearm recovery does not establish that the same weapon, or the same individuals, were involved in the latest Gotu attack.

But it highlights the wider security challenge facing parts of the county.

Governor calls for stronger security response

Guyo has called on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and national security agencies to intensify operations in Gotu and surrounding areas.

He wants more patrols, stronger intelligence gathering and action against those responsible for the latest killings.

“I urge the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen and the national security agencies to urgently strengthen security operations in Gotu and the surrounding areas, enhance patrols and intelligence gathering and take decisive action against those responsible,” he said.

The call comes as communities in parts of northern Kenya continue to face insecurity linked to armed banditry, livestock-related conflicts and access to grazing areas.

The bigger concern is what happens next

The latest incident raises a difficult question for communities living in areas where insecurity remains a daily concern: how safely can residents move to recover their dead, tend livestock or respond to attacks when armed violence can erupt during those very activities?

The reported sequence of events in Gotu is particularly troubling.

A community went looking for the remains of an elderly man who had reportedly been killed.

The search itself then became the scene of another deadly confrontation.

For now, investigations are expected to establish what happened, who was responsible and whether the attackers were linked to the earlier killing.

Security agencies have yet to publicly provide a detailed account of the operation.

Until then, the deaths of five people — including two officers sent to protect communities in the area — add to the pressure on authorities to restore security in Gotu and prevent another cycle of retaliation.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.