by CYRUS OMBATI
Monday May 1, 2023
Firearms nabbed by police in Garissa County on Saturday, April 30, 2023. Image: NPS
The four men who were Sunday arrested while carrying four rifles, 19 magazines and 500 bullets are not terrorists, police said Monday.
They are members of the National Police Reserve based at the Kenya-Somalia border in Wajir County.
A senior police officer said they have been helping local police in detecting and fighting al-Shabaab militants who cross from Somalia for a mission.
Officials aware of the developments said the four were arrested Sunday, April 30 after they travelled to Garissa without notifying the local security teams.
They were arrested at Nuno, Garissa County.
Police said they also recovered balaclavas, a ballistic helmet, a knife, a machete and several mobile phones from the four.
The men were in a white Toyota Probox when they were stopped by police.
On Sunday, after the news of the arrest spread out, efforts were being made to release the men on cash bail amid the probe.
Officials said they want to know why they were moving to Garissa without informing the relevant authorities.
It is suspected they were facilitating the movement of contraband goods, an official said.
Other sources said the personnel have been helpful in taming terrorism and al-Shabaab terrorists in the area.
“We have realized they are part of our team on the ground but we don’t understand why they came to Garissa. It is being handled,” said an insider aware of the issue.
This comes amid heightened security following fears the terror group could be planning an attack after a long lull.
The border region has borne the brunt of repeated attacks from the militants who are at times aided by locals.
Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.
The area is near the Somalia border and the militants usually cross at will and stage attacks before escaping back.
Al-Shabaab terrorists have been attacking places in the region, especially in Mandera and Garissa counties after breaching security zones, which left dozens of civilians and security officials dead and wounded.
The terrorists have been planting explosives on the routes used by the security agencies.
Kenyan troops are in Somalia to pursue and suppress the activities of the terror group.