A terror suspect identified as Mustakima Mohammed Ali alias Abu Mahir was arrested at the Sambaki Bridge roadblock while traveling from Lamu.
The suspect was apprehended on Sunday, April 28 following a joint operation by Anti-Terrorism Police and their Special Operations Group (SOG) counterparts.
In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) revealed that Mustakima Mohammed was flushed out of a Malindi-bound bus by the officers.
“The suspect was flushed out of a Malindi-bound bus in a Sunday afternoon operation by Anti-Terrorism Police augmented by their Special Operations Group (SOG) counterparts at the Sambaki Bridge roadblock while traveling from Lamu,” noted the DCI.
The suspect was allegedly involved in the brutal killings of a police officer and two chiefs in Lamu County in December 2019.
According to the DCI, Abu Mahir and his accomplices went into hiding within Boni forest after committing the crime.
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Police officers smoked them out from the forest, but they ended up disappearing to a neighboring country.
“Mustakima Ali alias Abu Mahir and his accomplices holed up after the monstrous murders that occurred in December 2019, first hiding within Boni Forest from where they were smoked out by security personnel and disappeared to a neighboring country,”
However, three members of the gang reportedly got back into the country in April 2023 but were captured along the Isiolo-Moyale highway while heading to Somalia.
The three were charged at the Kahawa Law Courts as police maintain search for their counterparts.
“They were charged at the Kahawa Law Courts and their case is ongoing. Other suspects who have since been identified but are still at large remain on police radar,” stated DCI.
Police Officers Killed in Terror Attacks
This arrest comes at a time when the government has vowed to deal with criminal groups causing terror in parts of the country including bandits, cattle rustlers as well as other forms of crimes.
The border areas of Mandera, Wajir and Garissa have faced similar attacks which have affected development in the region.
On March 25, 2024, two police officers were among three people killed in an Al-Shabaab terrorist attack in Mandera town.
The two officers identified as Police Commissioner Alex Mbuvi Munguti from Mandera Police Station and his counterpart Cyprian Kuta from QRU Arabia died after an explosion at Fish Point Hotel.
The officers who survived the attack include PC Samuel Momoi who suffered serious body injuries, Hillary Cheruiyot who had both his legs injured while Davis Meriki injured both his hands.
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Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif condemned the attack noting that it was a cowardly act by the terrorist. he also reported that the last terror incident in Mandera was the abduction of two Cuban doctors on 12th April 2019.
He vowed that security agencies were working tirelessly to bring the criminals to book.
“Today’s incident will not deter our tireless efforts and commitment to matters about peace and security,” noted the governor.
“We are working closely with security agencies to pursue the criminals behind this senseless attack and chart a way forward to prevent such incidents from happening again,” Khalif said.
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