The government of Kenya has learnt of and has dismantled a youth recruitment network that has been recruiting young people into the Somali-based Al Shabaab terror group.
The government says that that the terror group has since established a recruitment cell in Siaya county, intending to smuggle Kenyan youth into Somalia to join its terror activities.
According to Siaya County Commissioner Michael Ole Tialal, the cell was established last year and has since managed to recruit two youths, who crossed into Somalia last year.
He says that security agencies are investigating a self-styled Muslim teacher suspected to be behind the radicalization network, and also have an eye on the two youths in Somalia.
“We have managed to gather all the information on them as well,” he said.
Mr Ole Tialal added that according to intelligence, Nyadorera market in the border of Siaya and Busia counties has been marked as the centre for the radicalization activities.
He spoke after the government gathered intelligence and managed to catch up with five youths who in the process of speaking into Somalia, apparently for similar reasons.
He said that upon realizing that the police were after them, the youths, who were to access Somalia through Tanzania, returned to Nyadorera and are under police surveillance.
“They are still in Nyadorera and are being profiled. We have their profiles and we know who they are. They have already reformed and must be kept busy by ensuring they receive the equipment being donated by the empowerment programme," he added.