Boni Enclave Campaign director Joseph Kanyiri and Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa at a past event. [Photo/ barakafm.org]
Security agencies in Lamu are on high alert after reports emerged of al-Shabaab returnees secretly regrouping, recruiting and training youth in the county.According to Baraka FM, the returnees are posing a great challenge to the security in the region amid the ongoing Linda Boni operation which seeks to flush out al-Shabaab militants from Boni forest.On Monday, Boni Enclave Campaign Director Joseph Kanyiri said he is aware of the activities of the returnees in the county, adding that most of them have not reported to the police after returning from Somalia. Kanyiri also said the returnees who seek to reform are expected to report to the security agencies in the Coast region, which has not been the case.“They come back quietly, then meet up and form some sort of cell after which they start recruiting and training local youth who are then used to launch attacks. We are giving them the chance to surrender or we move in because we know exactly who they are,” said Kanyiri, as quoted by the local daily.He further asked families of returnees to cooperate with the security agencies in the region for the sake of their safety.