KDF Soldiers Storm Lodwar: Clash with Police in Daring Rescue Attempt After Colleagues Were Arrested
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers intervened at Lodwar Police Station on Wednesday to free four of their comrades who had been detained for allegedly disarming a police officer at a checkpoint close to Turkana University College.
Earlier today, four soldiers were on their way to Moi Gardens in a water tanker to collect water when they encountered a police officer who caused a delay in their journey, leading to a confrontation.
A security official familiar with the situation claimed that the police officer was instructed to kneel but declined to comply.
Subsequently, a KDF soldier disarmed him and fired multiple shots into the air before continuing their journey.
The law enforcement officer was instructed to retrieve the weapon from Loturerei camp in Kanam Kemer Ward, where the military personnel are stationed.
However, upon hearing about the incident, additional police officers hurried to Moi Gardens. There, they discharged their firearms, escalating tension in Lodwar town, before apprehending the four KDF soldiers.
“Upon arrival, three KDF soldiers were seated in a shade and the driver was inside the water bowser. When they were ordered to surrender, the driver cocked his AK47 assault rifle…This prompted officers to shoot in the air and the driver surrendered by alighting from the said water bowser…he left his rifle inside,” a police report indicated.
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The situation intensified further when over ten armed soldiers forcefully entered Lodwar Police Station in a bold attempt to free the four individuals.
The station’s proximity to Lodwar Law Courts, Turkana County Assembly, and the County Commissioner’s office makes it a focal point for public interest.
Turkana Central Sub-County Police Commander Samwel Boit, accompanied by other members of the Sub-County Security Committee, later convened with KDF leaders at the police station to discuss the issue.
Four soldiers from the KDF, who declined to reveal their names and were registered as unidentified individuals, remained in custody at the police cells during a visit by journalists to the station. It is said that they will face charges of robbery involving violence.
The Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) have set up a facility in Kanam Kemer Ward, located on the outskirts of Lodwar town. This establishment follows an agreement between the Turkana County Government and the Ministry of Defence in April 2021, which designated land for military purposes across various areas in Turkana.
The Turkana community agreed to the allocation of 2,000 hectares of land in Kanamkemer, with 1,000 hectares designated for each of the following wards: Kaputir, Kapedo/Napeitom, Lapur, Kibish, Lokichoggio, Nanam, and Letea.
KDF was also guaranteed access to 50,000 hectares for military training whenever it was necessary.
KDF Soldiers Storm Lodwar: Clash with Police in Daring Rescue Attempt After Colleagues Were Arrested