A violent criminal gang accused of breaking into homes, holding families hostage, and forcing victims to send money through mobile banking has been dismantled following arrests made in Nairobi’s Tassia and Utawala areas, even as detectives continue to pursue more suspects linked to a series of attacks that left one person dead and several families traumatised.
Investigators say the gang operated across different estates, targeting households at night, assaulting occupants, and stealing valuables after coercing victims into transferring money digitally. A second suspect was arrested as part of ongoing efforts to break the wider network believed to have carried out the attacks.
The arrests follow weeks of investigations into incidents that caused fear among residents and resulted in the death of a neighbour who had responded to one of the attacks.
In a statement, the DCI confirmed that officers from headquarters had tracked down and arrested a suspect linked to the gang after what it described as intensive investigations into the series of violent robberies.
One of the incidents under investigation took place on June 11, 2026, in Ruai, where suspects allegedly stormed a family home and held the occupants captive.
"In one incident reported on June 11, 2026, the suspect, alongside accomplices who remain at large, allegedly broke into a residence in Ruai and held the family captive while demanding money and valuables." The DCI stated.
Investigators further detailed the suffering endured by victims during the attack, including physical assault and forced financial transactions.
"During the ordeal, members of the household were subjected to physical violence and other traumatic offences. The gang also forced the victims to transfer money through mobile banking before stealing electronic devices and other valuables and fleeing the scene."
In a separate case in Kamulu, detectives say another household was targeted in a similar manner, with the attackers allegedly holding occupants hostage while searching for money and valuables.
"In a separate incident in Kamulu, the suspects reportedly stormed another home and held the occupants hostage as they searched for valuables. They allegedly coerced the victims into transferring money from their mobile phones and bank accounts."
The situation turned deadly when a neighbour who responded after hearing commotion was fatally injured during the attackers’ escape.
"During their escape, a neighbour who had responded to the commotion sustained fatal injuries."
Following the incidents, detectives traced the suspects to different locations within Nairobi.
"Following the incidents, detectives launched an intensive investigation that led to the arrest of 39-year-old Shadrack Nyandieka Nyakwaba at Tassia Estate in Embakasi. Detectives also arrested Monica Nyangau Sarange in Utawala after investigations linked her to the movement of the stolen funds."
Police say the two suspects are currently in custody awaiting arraignment, while efforts continue to track down additional members of the gang believed to have participated in the coordinated attacks.