Kisumu County Commissioner, Benson Leparmorijo has advised local residents to guard against indoctrination and radicalization that could drive the youth into acts of terrorism.
Leparmorijo said Kenyans should not be reactionary but remain vigilant all the time in order to fight such crimes through preventing them from occurring.
The CC while opening the National Committee against Violent Extremism forum in Kisumu said terrorism threatens peace and security as well as fundamental rights and freedom.
He gave a warning that the government will not compromise on security matters adding that it was the responsibility of every Kenyan to help in securing our boundaries and safeguard the territorial integrity.
The CC said Kisumu stands out as a cosmopolitan city and business hub for the lake region as the Town receives a large number of investors who require peace and tranquility.
Leparmorijo told members of the public to continue sharing information on suspected terrorist activities to the authorities so that action could be taken on time.
“We should also watch keenly issues like student unrest in schools and institutions of higher learning in order to ensure tranquility is maintained in the institutions”, he emphasised.
He said all citizens should not take security issues for granted considering that the country in the past has suffered far reaching consequences owing to past terrorist attacks.
Leparmorijo advised the public to continually watch out for early warning signs with focus on local criminal gangs in the region like; the Bagdad boys, American marine, China squad, Boda boda groups and returnees recruited into the terror cells.
He wondered what Churches, Mosques and other religious groups preached in the holy places since some of their sermons could lead to radicalization and recruitment into terrorism.
Leparmorijo advised parents who sends their children to look for jobs in the Middle East countries to find out what kind of opportunities was being offered as they could easily be used as recruitment channels.
Kenyans’ youths have been crowding Kisumu Immigration offices seeking for passports to travel to the Middle East hoping to get good jobs. Some are lucky but others have been tortured by employers and are vulnerable to being recruited by terror cells.
The team from Nairobi was led by Sangale Nchololoi, a Senior Liaison Officer National Counter Terrorism headquarters.
By Joseph Ouma
