The youth in the border county of Mandera have been asked to shun embracing the culture of violent extremism perpetrated by some fundamentalist and terror outfits.
This culture, according to the Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) officials was ruining their lives at the expensive of development.
Speaking during the closure of a four day workshop on counter terrorism and violent extremism, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) officials advised youths to report to police or the media, any acts of terrorism to wipe out the vice from the region.
Several youths from the border county have reportedly joined the ranks of the Al Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia after being radicalised and lured with non existing good livelihoods in the ranks of the terror outfits.
Mr. Komen Cheboi of NCTC said youths who have joined the terror group of Al Shabaab have found the promises given to them false after joining the criminals outfits.
Cheboi said it is incumbent upon Mandera residents to curb terror attacks in the region witnessed since 2011 after the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) entered Somalia to pursue the Al Shabaab after a series of attacks on the Kenyan soil.
He said participants in the workshop revealed area youths have joined the terror group and have abandoned their families to fight their motherland.
The official noted that women in the society play a pivotal role in the moulding of behaviour of the children and advised them not to abandon the noble task.
He asked area religious leaders, politicians and school heads to preach against violent extremism and radicalisation as acts of terrorism have scared off potential investors in the region at the detriment of development.
The region has recorded zero acts of terrorism for the past two years something that security agents have attributed to the collaboration of residents with the government in restoring run away insecurity that characterised the county between 2011 to 2016.
Mandera East Deputy County Commissioner Lawrence Omondi said in a separate interview with the press the public, security agents and the construction of the Kenya/ Somalia border security wall have played an important role in curbing terror attacks.
By Dickson Githaiga
