Duale cautions residents in Lamu about collaborating with Al-Shabaab
NAIROBI, Kenya – Defence Minister Aden Duale has issued a warning to locals in Lamu, coastal Kenya, urging them not to collaborate with Al-Shabaab militants. Duale claims that it is highly unlikely for the terrorists to travel from Somalia, carry out attacks on innocent civilians in Lamu, and return undetected.
The minister expresses his concern about how the militants manage to repeatedly target the people of Lamu without any prior indication for the security teams. Al-Shabaab attacks have plagued the region for a significant part of this year.
“It is astonishing that Al-Shabaab can move all the way from Jilib in Somalia to Mokowe, kill a driver and his conductor, and escape without the locals seeing them,” Duale remarks.
He suggests the existence of local collaborators who aid Al-Shabaab in carrying out these brutal killings and destructive acts. Duale declares, “We are aware of those who are collaborating with Al-Shabaab. Your days are numbered.”
Duale urges the community to cooperate closely with security personnel to achieve the desired peace in the country. He sternly warns locals against harboring Al-Shabaab militants or supporting their activities in the county.
The minister believes that some militants may integrate into the local population after an attack, making it extremely difficult for security officers to trace them. He calls upon village chiefs and their assistants to remain vigilant and help identify those who aid Al-Shabaab’s crimes.
“If the citizens are staying in camps, then you, as the area chief or assistant chief, should also stay in that camp,” demands CS Duale.
“If you are unwilling to reside within your jurisdiction, then you have no value in holding that position, unless you urgently submit your resignation letter to us so that we can appoint someone from that particular place to work there.”
As a preventive measure, the government plans to designate certain areas as high-risk, where citizens will be prohibited from conducting any activities or residing. These areas include Jirma, Juhudi, Mkunumbi, Marafa, Marafa-Toto, Pandanguo, Poromoko, Salama, Tabasamu, Ukumbi, and Widho.
“Anyone found loitering in the designated areas will not be regarded as Kenyan, but rather as Al-Shabaab. We will take appropriate action against you. Those places are exclusively reserved for our KDF soldiers and other security agencies,” declares CS Duale.
