Updated 10 hr(s) 46 min(s) ago
Security personnel in Kilifi are tracking down two suspected members of Al Shabaab alleged to have dodged police last week.
Kilifi DC Katee Mwanza said the two were working with another suspect who was arrested after he was found to have installed illegal communication equipment in a house in Mtwapa.
Speaking to The Standard, the administrator said all police officers who had gone for their annual leave had been recalled to team up with others to intensify patrols and weed out suspected criminals.
The DC said security had been beefed up in the area to crack down on suspected people who could be having ill motives.
"We mobilised our security officers to Mtwapa to arrest three suspected Al Shabaab members who were reported by the public to have installed communication gadgets in their rented rooms. But as the police were tracking them down, two who were operating in a different house escaped," said Mwanza.
Using moneyThe administrator who had earlier had a meeting with youth in Kilifi cautioned them against being lured to join outlawed groups like Mombasa Republic Council (MRC).
"Youths are the ones being targeted for recruitment to join outlawed groups like MRC, which has links with Al Shabaab. I caution you against being involved in such groups," said Mwanza.
He admitted that some agents of MRC are in Kilifi and were dishing out money to youths who are ready to join the group.
He said the agents have a lot of money and are going round in the towns and in the rural areas to lure youths.
Mwanza said after recruitment, the youth take oaths, train in military activities and finally get connected with Al Shabaab in Somalia.
"We have been informed that MRC agents are using money to lure jobless youth to join their illegal groups. The youth get trained in militia activities and later get connected with Al Shabaab in Somalia," Mwanza noted. Mtwapa councillor Ali Bakari urged the Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere to transfer all police officers who had overstayed at Mtwapa.
"Police officers who stay in a station for long can easily get involved in criminal activities by covering up suspected gangsters. For the officers to be effective in their work, they need to be transferred to other stations after serving in one station for about three years," said Bakari.
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