Three arrested as police launch anti-gang operation in Kisumu
Handcuffs. Courtesy photo
Detectives have launched security operations in parts of Kisumu to address cases of violent crimes in the Lakeside city.
This follows complaints of increased violent crimes targeting both pedestrians and business owners.
Special squads have arrested at least three suspects so far. The team is led by Nyanza Regional Head of Police Patrick Tito, who on Sunday said that they have mapped several places to target in the operations.
He added that they have also profiled some of the criminals behind some of the incidents, and efforts to trace them are ongoing.
“We have also recovered dozens of suspected stolen gadgets including mobile phones in the operations and we hope to crack the cases,” he said.
The suspects who have been waylaying members of the public and robbing them of valuables along Kisumu - Nairobi road near CFAO centre were arrested by undercover officers drawn from Kasagam Police Station.
Unaware of a sting operation to end their reign of terror, the trio, part of a five-man gang, pounced on the officers with an array of crude weapons, realising too late that they were carrying the wrong weapons in a shoot-out.
Outwitted, three(3) of the five(5) obeyed orders to surrender and dropped their weapons, while the other two(2) scampered away like frightened warthogs, police said.
Having been identified, the latter are being hotly pursued at Kasagam railway station amid calls for them to surrender.
One of the suspects was injured during the arrest and is being treated in hospital, police said.
The area has seen a slight increase in crime amid police operations to curb it.
And as the December festivities approach, the government has rolled out security strategies to ensure safety and curb criminal activities nationwide amid heightened political activity.
The strategy, championed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, relies on community-led solutions and a strengthened inter-agency coordination framework. It brings together faith-based organisations (FBOs), village elders, Nyumba Kumi groups, local police and National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) led by chiefs and their assistants.
Faith-based organisations are expected to play a key role in promoting reconciliation, healing and forgiveness, particularly in the context of increased political activity centred on ethnic groupings and regional alliances.
Home Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo says the plan is to ensure that there is a collective responsibility to protect communities. "We cannot overemphasise the importance of unity in securing our neighbourhoods," Omollo said.
"By promoting teamwork and breaking down barriers between agencies, we are ensuring a seamless and effective approach to crime prevention."
The government has placed a particular focus on young people, who have been identified as particularly vulnerable to crime and drug abuse during the festive season. Community activities such as football tournaments and neighbourhood engagement are at the heart of the initiative.
