DIG-KPS AND DIG-APS LEAD HIGH-LEVEL SECURITY ASSESSMENT IN MANDERA AND WAJIR COUNTIES

The Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service (KPS), Mr. Eliud Lagat, and the Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service (APS), Mr. Gilbert Masengeli, yesterday led a high-level, multi-agency security assessment tour of Mandera and Wajir counties. The visit aimed to assess the current security situation, address prevailing challenges, and enhance coordination among security stakeholders in the region.
In Mandera, the DIGs paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mohamed Adan Khalif, the Governor of Mandera County, where they held in-depth discussions on key security matters. 

The Governor expressed appreciation for the efforts of security personnel in the region and highlighted several critical concerns, including intercommunal conflicts, vandalism of communication infrastructure, and threats posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on major roads. In response, DIG Lagat and DIG Masengeli assured the Governor of the National Police Service’s commitment to addressing these challenges. They pledged to increase officer deployments, strengthen operational support, and enhance security presence in vulnerable areas.
The delegation later proceeded to the Mandera County Police Headquarters, where they held a security briefing with senior local officials. Discussions focused on regional threats, particularly cross-border insecurity along the Kenya-Somalia border and terrorism threats from Al-Shabaab, among others. 

Following the briefing, the DIGs held a session with officers from the KPS, Border Police Unit (BPU), Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Kenya Prisons Service, Quick Response Unit (QRU), General Service Unit (GSU), and National Police Reservists (NPR). The officers were urged to remain committed, uphold professionalism, maintain teamwork, and enhance inter-agency cooperation to tackle evolving security threats. Later, the delegation proceeded to Wajir County, where they met with the senior county security team and other officers serving in the area. They addressed several key issues, including resource-based and inter-community conflicts, smuggling of contraband goods, terrorism threats (particularly from Al-Shabaab), human trafficking, drug-related crimes, and gaps in police strength and logistical challenges. 

During the meeting, the DIGs emphasized the importance of unity, discipline, and inter-agency teamwork in overcoming these challenges. The multi- agency security tour reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to enhancing security, fostering inter-agency collaboration, and strengthening trust between communities and security services in Northern Kenya.