Multi-agency security teams have successfully recovered 24 stolen livestock following a swift and coordinated operation linked to a reported banditry incident under Operation Maliza Uhalifu.

The National Police Service (NPS), in a statement shared via X on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, said the recovery was made on May 25, 2026, after a distress report indicated that livestock had been stolen from the Ntangilia area.

The report triggered an immediate response from joint security teams drawn from multiple agencies.

“Multi-agency security teams operating under Operation Maliza Uhalifu successfully recovered 24 stolen livestock yesterday, 25 May 2026, following a swift response to a banditry incident. A report of livestock stolen from the Ntangilia area was received, prompting the immediate deployment of a joint security team,” the NPS stated.

Strategic ambush points established

According to NPS, the officers quickly moved in to track the persons of interest, establishing strategic ambush points along known escape routes frequently used by criminals in the region.

The operation led to a confrontation in the Chumvi area, where the persons of interest were intercepted.

Fierce exchange of fire reported

Police say a fierce exchange of fire ensued during the encounter, but the security team gained control of the situation and successfully overpowered the bandits. All 24 livestock were recovered intact during the operation.

“The team established strategic ambushes along known criminal escape routes. The suspects were intercepted in the Chumvi area. A fierce exchange of fire ensued, but the security team overpowered the bandits and recovered all the livestock, which were handed over to the owner at Gambela Centre after positive identification,” the statement reads in part.

Following the recovery, the animals were handed over to their rightful owner at the Gambela Centre after positive identification procedures were completed.

Security officials have praised the operation, describing it as a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of coordinated multi-agency efforts in tackling livestock theft and banditry. They noted that such joint operations have significantly improved response times and disrupted criminal networks operating in affected regions.

Authorities further confirmed that follow-up operations are ongoing, with security teams maintaining heightened patrols in the area to track down the remaining suspects believed to have escaped during the incident.

Operation Maliza Uhalifu teams reiterated their commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal groups, restoring public confidence, and ensuring the safety of residents and their property across the region.

Operation Maliza Uhalifu

This comes months after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen hailed Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU) for making significant strides in curbing banditry and restoring peace in the Kerio Valley region.

Taking to his official X account, after the 2nd edition of the Operation Maliza Uhalifu North Rift Sports for Peace Tournament in Chemolingot, Tiaty Central Sub-County, Baringo County, on Saturday, August 23, 2025, Murkomen commended the initiative for fostering security and cohesion.

“Operation Maliza Uhalifu has recorded remarkable success in silencing guns and restoring peace in the Kerio Valley region,” Murkomen said. “Building on this momentum, we are intensifying interventions geared towards deepening cohesion, fostering reconciliation, and pacifying the region further for sustainable development.”