This archive report was first published on 16 June 2020.
On June 16, 2020, a security threat was foiled in Mandera when police arrested three individuals attempting to purchase a large cache of arms at the border with Somalia.
The arms, valued at Sh7 million, were meant to disrupt the peace in the region, according to Mandera Township MCA Adan Abdi.
Abdi condemned the incident, stating that the three suspects were reversing the gains made in 2015 when communities signed a ceasefire agreement to coexist harmoniously.
One of the suspects is an employee of the Mandera county government, according to Abdi.
Gither MCA Ahmed Rashid called for the suspects to be prosecuted, noting that the cache was a significant arsenal that could be used to create despondency in the region.
As leaders, Rashid and Abdi expressed their desire to prevent the region from following the footsteps of other counties where communities have fought each other for long periods.
Mandera East District Criminal Investigation Officer Benedict Kigen confirmed that police are investigating the incident, but warned that disclosing more information would jeopardize the ongoing investigations.
