On May 2, 2022, the Operation Rejesha Amani Marsabit began in Marsabit County, with the aim of retrieving illicit weapons from civilians. Since then, security personnel have made significant progress, recovering a total of 140 firearms and over 1,000 bullets.
According to Bernard Mbatha, the commander in charge of the operation, a suspect who was arrested led the security team to a site where the weapons had been hidden. The suspect, who is middle-aged, disclosed that he had dug a small trench and concealed the weapons underground.
“The suspect helped us in unearthing the weapons, of which two AK 47 assault rifles and two carbines plus 138 rounds of ammunition were recovered,” said Mbatha, adding that other types of weaponry have also been recovered during the operation.
The security personnel had earlier retrieved three rifles in Horoder and Bubisa areas, with support from members of the public boosting the operation to mop up illicit weapons in the hands of civilians.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i had announced a one-month dusk-to-dawn curfew in the county following a rise in crime.
By Sebastian Miriti