The gov’t of Kenya on Friday revealed that Kenyan police officer was killed and another was injured after a group of soldiers belonging to Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), raided Kenyan police officers stationed in the border area.
There were five Kenyan police officers on duty in the border once a group of 20 NISA soldiers opened fire. Police officer Constable Dennis Omar was killed in the incident while Wright Mokua was injured. NISA soldiers took two guns from the Kenya police after the raid.
The attack is linked to two individuals who were accused of abducting Chinese nationals who were working when it comes to the construction of Mandera sewage system. A person is currently under police custody and Kenyan police believe that he aided and abetted the group that carried out the attack. Head of police in charge of crime investigation in Mandera, Pius Gitari said that the incident is a clear violation of Kenya.
Gitari said: ” Somali security forces attacked Kenyan police officers stationed in the border between the two countries. The Somali soldiers killed Kenyan police officer and confiscated two guns.” Gitari further said that the objective behind the attack was to put pressure on Kenyan police to release two suspects arrested in connection with the abduction.
He said that the Somali security forces were intending to abduct Kenyan police officers but they exchanged fire. NISA soldiers visited the police station in Mandera and demanded the two suspects in custody to be released. Gitari said: “We knew the frequent visits by Somali security forces and the pressure put on Kenyan police to release the two suspects. We decided to transfer the two suspects to Nairobi. NISA soldiers were in a position to kidnap our police officer in order to put pressure to release the suspects.”
After the incident, Kenyan security forces contacted with the authority in Bulo Hawo in Somalia. Gitari said: ” We asked Bulo Hawo authority in Somalia to bring back the two guns that were confiscated by Somali security forces.” He added that they only returned one gun but the other one remains missing.
Gitari said: ” It is quite hard to contact with Somali gov’t in Bulo Haw. There are two administrations. Jubaland troops stationed in the area named a district commissioner while Somali National Army (SNA) has got another district commissioner.”
Gitari asked the Somali gov’t to arrest those who were behind the attack and hand them over to the Kenyan gov’t. On 18 Feb. 2025, Kenya Anti-terrorism unit in Mandera arrested Isaack Abdi Mohamed who is known as Kharan Abdi Hassan and Nur Yackub Ali.
They were arrested in connection of abducting the Chinese nationals working in Mandera. Mohamed sneaked into Kenya and got Kenyan national identity card illegally. Mohamed hails from Somalia particularly from El-Adde. He was the ring leader who was accused of the failed abduction of Chinese nationals working in the sewage system in Mandera.
