NYANZA POLICE BOSS VOWS TO CRACK WHIP ON THUGS

BY JEFF OTIENO

The Provincial Police Officer (P.P.O) Nyanza, Njue Njagi has given a one week ultimatum to notorious robbers who have been terrorizing residents in the province, to surrender to the authorities or risk dire consequences.

In an interview with the press in his office, following a spate of robberies in the Province, Njagi told this writer that he has deployed every mechanism to ensure that the marauding clique’s dirty operations are halted forthwith.

“We cannot afford to be at the mercy of these heartless criminals anymore”, Njagi quipped. He was reacting to a series of fatal shootings, where a scholar in Rachuonyo District, Karabondi Sub-location was car jacked and later shot dead by thugs. The scholar is said to have resisted the demands by the thugs that he surrenders his car keys, culminating in the shooting.

Early last November, a businessman dealing in cereals was ambushed and killed under the same circumstances by robbers in Kendu-Bay, Rachuonyo District, and interestingly they took nothing from the businessman.

Still in Rachuonyo, a notorious hard core criminal nicknamed “Jail bird” last week woke up and hacked to death 5 bulls belonging to one of his relatives, and went scort free, courtesy of his rapport with a local assistant chief in Ringa.

Area leaders led by Marie-stopes Country Director Cyprian Awiti immediately reacted with rage and protested to the government to take action. Former nominated councilor, Ochieng Omutho also demanded the immediate overhaul of the local police officers in Rachuonyo District, adding that they have become complacent, because some of them have over stayed in their stations.

An Asian businessman based in Kisumu was also early last week car jacked and robbed by the said clique of thugs, whose ring of operation, according to the P.P.O stretches upto Western Province and to a neighboring country.

Njagi disclosed that he has sent his hawk eyed officers to the said neighboring country, following impressive leads.

In the third incident the Asian was robbed in Marenyo, around Yala Township of Kshs. 130,000. His vehicle (Lorry) was recovered during a fierce fire exchange with police officers. Crude weapons, including a toy pistol, were also recovered. Two of the robbers were shot and died instantly, while the others fled with gun shot wounds into the nearby thicket.

Njagi could not hide his joy, and was quick to praise his officers, particularly Divisional bosses, OCPDS, who have been working round the clock in places he described as dark spots to bring sanity.

The soft spoken and down to earth top cop at times disguises as a boda  boda rider (cyclists) during routine checks in the province, with his official cars in tow about 500 metres away, a move he described as very successful.

He however singled out Siaya District as the bedrock of hard core criminals, but so far, he has netted 7 of the notorious ones, and the list continues to grow.

The newly posted Kisumu OCPD, Mr. Mwinzi,, has intensified all round the clock vigil to contain robbers and car jackers who have been terrorizing business outfits and motorists with glee.

His Nyando counter part, Mr. Patrick Mbarire, is equally optimistic that the cattle rustling menace, which has rocked parts of Nyakach constituency, will soon be a thing of the past. Mbarire and Mwinzi urged the residents to co-operate and avail information to police whenever they encounter something which is a security threat.
 
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