Police at the Kenya-Somalia border arrested a Tanzanian national who was allegedly attempting to join the al Shabaab terror group.
The security agents nabbed the 22-year-old at the Liboi border as he walked towards Somalia direction on January 13. He claimed he was going to Somalia for the first time.
He said he was going for Dhobley in Somalia, which is under the control command of the terror group.
Preliminary investigations show that he entered Kenya through the Lungalunga border crossing point on January 10, 2024.
However, he mentioned conflicting reasons for wanting to go to Somalia and the passport had an endorsement of a Kenyan visa of six months, which prompted police to detain him.
He was handed over to anti-terror police for questioning, after a search was conducted of his two small bags. Religious literature both Islamic and Christian, five Tanzanian sim cards, one phone with Safaricom sim cards, and a Tanzanite debit card were recovered.
This arrest in the area involving a foreigner is the latest. Police say interagency collaboration in the North has gained traction and the locals are now more open and freer to share information with the authorities.
Police noticed a pattern with recruits travelling to link either al Shabaab or Daesh. They are usually provided travel arrangements so that they avoided communications while in transit in order to not raise suspicion.
The security further warned Public Service Vehicle operators to be vigilant and share any information on the movement of strangers with suspicious countenance and behaviour.
“The ongoing war against terrorism by the security agencies continues to frustrate the recruitment and facilitation of recruits destined to Somalia to join al-Shabaab,” a police report said.