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In a statement by the National Police Service on Wednesday, the livestock were recovered on November 3, 2026, after a multi-agency security team intercepted the suspected attackers who had seized the animals and started driving them towards Arapal.
“Kenyans want an empowered police service that is safe and engages communities confidently, effectively, professionally, and efficiently,” the authority said.
The attack has raised fresh concern over the safety of people living in parts of Isiolo, where livestock theft and armed attacks have continued to put both residents and security personnel at risk.
The attack happened on Sunday in Tofa, located in Rabah district, with the assailants also making away with a large number of livestock, according to local resident Hadiyyatullahi Hamisu.
The attackers fled with the animals following the raid, but their attempt to escape was cut short after a multi-agency security team was alerted and launched an immediate pursuit.
In a statement on Monday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers moved swiftly after receiving information about the livestock theft, managing to trace the animals before the suspect could get away with them.
According to the NPS in a statement on Sunday, the operation was launched after security officers received information that livestock stolen from Pokot North Sub-County last month had been driven to Namakat Village in Kalemngorok Sub-location.
DCI says five suspected gang members were arrested in Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Murang’a linked to a stolen Toyota Sienta and livestock theft. Police recovered the vehicle with fake plates and seized tools; suspects remain in custody.
The National Police Service described the recovery as a demonstration of the impact of coordinated security operations being undertaken under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, an initiative established by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to tackle insecurity, banditry and organised crime in affected regions.
The Prevention of Livestock and Produce Theft Bill, 2023, also aims to strengthen coordination between national and county governments in tackling a vice that many said is crippling rural livelihoods.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), officers acted swiftly after receiving intelligence that the cattle had been stolen and were being driven towards the Kachiuru area.
Security agencies said the operation demonstrates the value of coordinated action between different agencies in responding to criminal activities that threaten livelihoods in rural communities.
The operation was triggered by a distress call from a resident of Marti Location reporting that a herdsman grazing goats along the Marti–Sulubei Road had been ambushed by unknown raiders who forcefully drove away the livestock.
According to police, officers from Yala Police Station were on a routine mobile patrol when they spotted a suspicious Toyota Caldina, registration number KBK 404G, moving along the road at around dawn. Their attempt to stop the vehicle triggered a brief chase.