Mandera police gun down suspected arms smuggler

Police in Mandera on Thursday killed a suspected illegal arms dealer.

Acting on a tip-off from members of the public, security officers from Kotulo Police Station laid an ambush at Kutayo area before two men riding on a motorcycle appeared.

As they tried to stop the suspects, an exchange of fire ensued, leaving one of the riders dead as his accomplice escaped on foot.

“Our officers had received information on the movement of firearms and they laid an ambush. They met two people riding on a motorcycle and an exchange of fire ensued,” said North Eastern Regional Police Commander Rono Bunei.

Five rifles

“The officers recovered five rifles and assorted ammunition from the abandoned motorcycle,” Mr Bunei said.

The regional police boss said preliminary investigations show the arms were to be delivered to clan militias and bandits.

 “We suspect these rifles and ammunition were being delivered to either bandits or clan militias,” he said.

Mr Bunei could not tell whether the weapons were being delivered within Mandera County or in the neighbouring counties.

 “These rifles and ammunition were for areas affected with banditry and clan conflicts but I cannot tell their exact destination,” he said.

Thursday's incident is the second in a month in the area involving the police and armed men on motorcycles.

On August 6, police killed a suspected militant before recovering 432 rounds of ammunition.

The team recovered two AK-47 rifles, two Mark 4 rifles and three AK-47 magazines from the suspect.

Transit route

Mr Bunei said the Kutoyo area is being used as a transit route for illegal firearms.

 “The area is a common route for transportation of illegal firearms and ammunition acquired from Somalia and we are keen on dealing with smugglers,” he said.

He thanked locals for sharing information on smuggling of firearms in the area.

He said the police were working with the public to identify the dead suspect and trace his accomplices.

Meanwhile, security agencies in Mandera town have closed down all garbage collection points in the town following reports that Al-Shabaab militants are planning a series of attacks.

A security report indicated that the militants’ had identified garbage collection points as the most suitable sites for planting explosives.

On Wednesday evening, bomb experts successfully detonated an explosive discovered near Mandera Jamhuri Market.