Security agencies in Lamu County have been forced back to the drawing board in the fight against terrorism following the mysterious disappearance of more than 50 youth.
According to the Lamu Security Committee, most of those who were reported to have disappeared are suspected to have crossed into Somalia to join the Al-Shabaab militia group.
Speaking to the Nation on Tuesday, Lamu County Commissioner Stephen Sangolo confirmed that police started receiving the reports a few days before and after the conclusion of the 137th edition of the Lamu Maulid Festival. The four-day event at Lamu Old Town was held on September 9-12.
Mr Sangolo said multi-agency security teams are on high alert as investigations to establish their exact whereabouts are underway. He cited the vast Pate Island villages of Siyu, Faza, Tchundwa, Mbwajumwali, Myabogi, Shanga-Rubu, Kizingitini and Faza as the worst hit areas by the local youth disappearance.
Lamu County Commissioner Stephen Sangolo engaging residents during a public participation forum in Mokowe, Lamu County.
Photo credit: Kalume Kazungu| Nation Media Group
Following the sudden mass disappearance, multi-agency forces have intensified patrols along known transit corridors and border checkpoints like Kiunga on the Kenya-Somalia border.
Lamu County Police Commander Shadrack Ruto also confirmed that tens of locals were indeed missing, calling on members of the public to come out and share information that will aid efforts to trace them.
Mr Ruto noted that recent investigations indicate highly organised clandestine networks are active, often utilising close associates or deceptive employment promises to transport recruits into Somalia. He urged parents and community members to instantly report missing relatives.
He said that prompt reporting and tracking allows security agencies and border teams to intercept targets before they are successfully moved across the border into militant training strongholds.
According to Mr Ruto, many young people today end up joining terror groups after being promised good jobs and huge salaries.
“Job scams, promises of quick wealth, and the allure of a luxurious lifestyle are among the most common tactics or effective traps used by militia and extremist groups to recruit vulnerable, desperate youth,” said Mr Ruto.
He advised parents to maintain close monitoring of their children. At the same time, he asked both the youth and their parents to always cross-check job offers with registered government agencies or established, verified businesses before traveling or signing agreements.
The county police boss encouraged families and local leaders to speak openly about the recruitment tactics so young people can recognise the red flags of ‘too good to be true’ promises.
“I encourage our local leadership to expand access to genuine vocational training, mentorship programs, and local entrepreneurship grants to help reduce the economic vulnerability that recruiters use to exploit our youth,” said Mr Ruto.
(From left)Lamu County Administration Police Commander Shadrack Charo, Lamu County Commissioner Stephen Sangolo and Lamu County Police Commander Shadrack Ruto during a press briefing on September 24,2026.
Photo credit: Kalume Kazungu| Nation Media Group
He also issued a stern warning of existing underground networks operating locally to radicalise and recruit youth into extremist groups like Al-Shabaab in Lamu. Such agents position themselves as representatives of charitable entities, community programs, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“Our investigations have established the existence of recruiters and sympathisers working from within. These unsuspecting individuals live and mingle with us. Such recruiters rarely expose their true motives initially. Instead, they exploit local vulnerabilities through highly deceptive tactics like offering financial aid, food distribution, or social welfare packages to vulnerable families,” said Mr Ruto.
He added, “As they do the ‘well-wisher’ function, they at the same time target unemployed youth, promising educational scholarships or high-paying jobs within or outside the county and country. Once trust is established via this financial or material dependence, the agents slowly introduce radical ideologies, isolating the youth from their families and guiding them into clandestine networks. Be warned.”
He also confirmed the arrest of several suspected Al-Shabaab sympathisers and terror suspects in the county this month. They are alleged to have been involved and aided the disappearance of the over 50 individuals believed to have crossed to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab.
“I can’t disclose the exact number but police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Anti-Terrorism Bureau in Lamu are still interrogating and processing the suspects before we present them to court any time to face terror-related charges, including organising, facilitating or assisting in organising or facilitating meetings in support of terrorist groups in Lamu County,” said Mr Ruto.
Between 2014 and 2018, Lamu was perceived as a hotbed of terror owing to a surge in the number of youths getting radicalized and crossing into Somalia to join Al-Shabaab.
In June 2014, at least 90 men were killed, and houses and vehicles were torched in one night when heavily armed Al-Shabaab terrorists raided Mpeketoni town and its environs.
The attack prompted the national government to introduce the multi-agency security Operation Amani Boni (OAB), whose objective is to flush out Al-Shabaab militants believed to be hiding inside the dense Boni Forest.
The operation, which is undertaken by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) and other security units in collaboration with government administration officers, is ongoing to date. Such multi-agency efforts and other localised strategic frameworks have fundamentally shifted the security landscape in Lamu County in recent years.
Security reports indicate that radicalisation and recruitment of youth crossing into Somalia to join Al-Shabaab have significantly declined as a result of the direct security bombardment in Boni Forest, incorporated with ‘soft power’ and community-centered interventions.
A retired military officer interviewed by the Nation on Tuesday affirmed that the rollout of the Lamu County Action Plan for Countering Violent Extremism (LCPCVE) nine years ago established a localised, multi-sector framework. The plan was officially launched in March 2017.
“Instead of relying solely on heavy-handed military crackdowns, the action plan brought together the county government, civil society organizations (CSOs), and community elders to proactively address the socioeconomic grievances exploited by recruiters. I am happy that through it, we’ve seen a peaceful Lamu with cases of radicalization amongst local youth going down,” said the officer.
He however challenged the security agencies and Lamu Community to treat the sudden vanishing of the 50 youth as a wakeup call.
“If such things like youth radicalisation and sudden disappearance begin to find a trace, then we need to consider reviewing, revisiting some of the existing plans or strategies and start working towards ensuring a peaceful Lamu,” he said.
