Police in Kisumu have arrested five people in an operation to flush out suspected terrorists believed to have sneaked into the country.
The suspects were arrested in a two-day operation by a multi-agency team of officers from Kisumu and Nairobi.
Kisumu County Commander Samuel Anampiu said that acting on intelligence reports, his team arrested two Pakistani nationals at about 11am on Saturday, along Kisumu-Kakamega Road near the Mamboleo roundabout.
For the better part of Sunday morning, once again guided by intelligence, police apprehended three more people along Kisumu-Ahero Road.
Vehicles are pictured in a traffic jam in Kisumu County as police searched on May 9, 2021 for suspected terrorists said to have sneaked into the county.
The Sunday operation caused a massive traffic snarl-up that stretched over 20 kilometers.
“The Anti-Terror Police Unit, in conjunction with our multi-agency team, is handling the matter. We are still investigating the matter … it is too early to declare the suspects terrorists,” Mr Anampiu said, describing them as “aliens”.
He requested members of the public to give authorities helpful information.
“There should be no cause for alarm since we are on the ground firmly, alert and vigilant,” said the county commander.
Five long hours
The traffic jam on Kisumu-Ahero Road started at about midday and lasted at least five hours.
Many travellers heading as far as Nairobi remained in their vehicles, some expressing worries about reaching their destinations past the curfew hour of 10pm.
Some opted to use motorcycles to navigate between vehicles so that they could reach their destinations in good time.
Vehicles are pictured in a traffic jam in Kisumu County as police searched on May 9, 2021 for suspected terrorists said to have sneaked into the county.
What made matters worse was the usual indiscipline of impatient motorists who overlapped and created a gridlock.
Police tried to ease the congestion but there had been no significant changes by 6pm.
Strict surveillance
Meanwhile, Kisumu has stepped up surveillance after the Indian variant of the coronavirus was detected there.
Monitoring has been taking place round the clock, with travellers undergoing checks at several points including Ahero.
Last week, the county confined at least eight foreign nationals who tested positive for the Indian variant and is currently conducting elaborate contact tracing to help stop the spread of the virus.
Health executive, Dr Boaz Otieno Nyunya, said it is suspected that the eight, who were working at a local fertiliser company, had travelled from india.
At least 100 other workers said to have been in close contact with them have been quarantined. BY DAILY NATION