Seventeen Ethiopians were over the weekend arrested by police officers in Marsabit Town for being in the country illegally.

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County Police Commander Steve Oloo who confirmed the arrest said the suspects were in a lorry enroute to Nairobi.

Oloo said the suspects were arrested on Saturday afternoon at a roadblock on the Moyale –Isiolo Highway near Marsabit town.

One of the police officers manning the road block had noticed the lorry was earlier in the day carrying cabbages and was heading to Moyale.

The officer wondered why the lorry was still in Marsabit with cabbages and upon further check, the officers found a self-made cabin at the front of the lorry’s body with a false door in which the aliens were hidden.

The driver of the lorry identified as Muda Mamo Muda was arrested together with the seventeen aliens.

According to the police commander, the suspects who were unable to communicate either in Kiswahili or English did not possess travel documents at the time of the arrest.

Oloo said investigations revealed that the aliens were Ethiopians and were travelling to Nairobi in search of employment.

“The suspects were arrested aboard a lorry en route to Nairobi. Police officers manning the KBC road block became suspicious as the aliens were unable to communicate either in Kiswahili or English.”

“The driver of the lorry is in police custody. He will be arraigned in court together with the aliens once investigations are complete,” said the police commander.

The vehicle is being detained at the Marsabit Central police station.