Thursday 20, Feb 2025 {HMC} The Assistant Chief is suspected to have facilitated the procurement of an acknowledgement for registration slip (ID waiting card) for the suspects.
An Assistant Chief has been arrested in Mandera for attempting to facilitate Kenyan ID registration for two terror suspects planning the abduction of foreigners engaged in the construction of a sewer line in Mandera town.
According to a police report, the Assistant Chief is suspected to have facilitated the procurement of an acknowledgement for registration slip (ID waiting card) for the suspects.
“Anti-terrorism detectives drawn from the Mandera detachment have arrested Yussuf Maalim Issak, the Assistant chief of Bula power sub location in Mandera Township in connection with his involvement in an attempted and illegal processing of Kenyan IDs in favour of two foreign nationals cum terror suspects namely Isack Mohammed Abdi and Noor Yakub Ali,” the report stated.
“Security agencies working tirelessly to ensure that the residents of Mandera and all working within the town and it’s environs remain safe and secure and they undertake their day to day activities.”
The two Al Shabaab operatives were arrested on Monday by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives.
According to the anti-graft agency, Isaac Abdi Mohamed alias Kharan Abdi Hassan had recently sneaked into the country from El-ade in Somalia and forged a number of documents to identify as a Kenyan.
The DCI stated that “on keen scrutiny and thorough interrogation, it was discovered that the suspect was to pay Sh100,000 to his local associate, who would assist in the abduction exercise before he and another, Noor Yacob Ali, 29 facilitated the to-be victims’ movement to El-ade at a Sh 300,000 fee.”
Detectives conducted another operation Tuesday morning, where Yacob Ali was cornered and arrested at Metameta area within Mandera.
“The two have been booked in custody undergoing further interrogation ahead of their arraignment for being members of a terrorist group, which is a serious offence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).”
The arrests come after five chiefs were kidnapped early this month by suspected members of Al-Shabaab in Elwak, Mandera.
Authorities reported that the administrators were traveling to Elwak when they were ambushed and abducted by the militants between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki.
Consequently, President Ruto directed the National Police Service (NPS) to take immediate action to secure the North Eastern region
The Al Shabaab militia demanded a Sh7 million ransom for five chiefs kidnapped from Northern Kenya.
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