A nurse was found dead after being fatally shot in an attack that took place in a village between Loiya and Lorengippi, Turkana County, on Saturday night. Police identified the victim as 35-year-old Johnson Aparinga, a nurse at Loiya Health Center. His body was discovered beside the road with gunshot wounds to the head, mouth, and back. His motorcycle lay next to him, and authorities are still trying to determine the motive behind the attack. The gunmen responsible fled the scene, and Aparinga’s body has been moved to the Lodwar morgue for an autopsy.
The community is shaken by the loss, with locals describing Aparinga as a reliable healthcare worker. Turkana County has faced recurring gun violence, often linked to retaliatory attacks from cattle rustling. Authorities have engaged local elders in an effort to resolve the incident, but police have vowed to ensure justice by arresting the perpetrators.
To combat the rise in armed attacks and the widespread illegal possession of firearms, the government has been conducting disarmament exercises in the region. Development projects have also been rolled out to encourage residents to abandon cattle rustling and focus on more productive endeavors.
The area has seen frequent violence, which has hindered development and caused loss of life, injuries, and displacement. In response, the police have intensified patrols to prevent retaliatory attacks. Turkana is part of the larger North Rift region currently under the multi-agency operation “Komesha Uhalifu,” aimed at recovering illegal firearms and reducing crime in counties including Baringo, West Pokot, Samburu, Marsabit, and Isiolo.
Along with law enforcement, the government has emphasized strategic investment and sustainable development as long-term solutions to curb crime and violence in Northern Kenya and the Kerio Valley region.
