A Canadian man has been arrested in Westlands, Nairobi, after stabbing and wounding three worshippers at a mosque during early morning prayers on Saturday, February 28.
Police said the assailant was armed with a sword when he suddenly attacked worshippers at around 5 a.m.
Reports indicate that the man is originally from Somalia but holds a Canadian passport.
Man Storms Mosque and Stabs Worshippers in Westlands
According to Benson Kasyoki, Nairobi head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the suspect is being held at a police station for interrogation pending trial.
Kasyoki added that the victims were rushed to the hospital with multiple wounds following the stabs.
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Kileleshwa Ward Representative Robert Alai stated that authorities worked with the mosque leadership, the Kilimani OCPD, and the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) to contain the situation and prevent further attacks.
“Together with the leadership of the Westlands Mosque, OCPD Kilimani, and ATPU, we were able to contain the situation and avoid more attacks in the early morning attack,” said Alai.
He also thanked the mosque leadership and worshippers for alerting authorities in time.
Al-Shabaab Terror Plot to Attack Nairobi During Ramadhan
Earlier, the Counter Terrorism Policing Kenya announced that its security agencies had foiled a major terror attack allegedly planned by Al-Shabaab militants in Nairobi.
The Kenyan authorities noted that the suspected Al-Shabaab members planned to execute the attack during the month of Ramadhan and were also exploring the possibility of kidnapping foreigners and hijacking vehicles.
The foiled plot followed months of surveillance and covert intelligence operations targeting a suspected terror network operating within the Dadaab refugee camps.
In December 2025, Kenyan police foiled an overnight attack by Al-Shabaab militants on a compound in Elwak housing Chinese road workers.
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The attack unfolded at about 1.15 am when an estimated 40 suspected Al-Shabaab militants attempted to breach the compound, located roughly one kilometre north-west of Elwak Police Station.
Officers stationed at the facility immediately engaged the attackers, resulting in a fierce gunfight that lasted about 90 minutes.
The militants entered Elwak Town via border routes from the Buraache area, arriving in four vehicles before positioning themselves opposite the compound’s main gate.
Armed with an AK-47 rifle, rocket-propelled grenades, and a directional mine, the attackers blew up the main gate and damaged sections of the perimeter wall in an apparent attempt to breach the compound.
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