Mandera East MP Abdirahman Hussein Weytan has accused armed militias linked to Somalia’s Jubaland region of carrying out a deadly attack along the Mandera-Arabia Road that claimed six lives and left three other people seriously injured, raising fresh concerns over insecurity in the volatile border county.
Speaking before a National Assembly committee during deliberations on the 2026/2027 budget estimates at County Hall, Parliament Buildings, the legislator faulted security agencies for failing to protect civilians despite the heavy deployment of security personnel in the area.
The session was attended by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and senior security officials who had appeared before lawmakers to defend budget allocations for the security sector.
Weytan dismissed reports suggesting the attack was linked to inter-clan tensions, insisting the killings were orchestrated by armed militias in retaliation for a recent multi-agency security operation in the region.
“This had nothing to do with clan conflict at all,” Weytan told the committee. “These were militias that left the camp and attacked civilians in retaliation after one of their own was injured during a multi-agency security operation.”
The attack occurred near Omar Jillo Centre when a Nissan matatu, registration number KAQ 914S, travelling from Mandera Town to Arabia Town, was ambushed by heavily armed gunmen shortly after passing through the area.
According to witnesses and security reports presented to the committee, the attackers opened fire on the vehicle in broad daylight, killing six passengers instantly. Survivors reportedly escaped by fleeing into nearby bushes as the gunmen continued shooting.
“A vehicle travelling from Mandera town to Arabia was stopped in the middle of the day and everybody shot. Only those who ran into the bush survived,” the MP said.
Weytan questioned the response of security agencies, noting that Kenya Defence Forces camps were located not far from the scene of the attack.
“Not far from there, we have KDF camps and nothing happened. It was civilians who collected the bodies and rescued the injured,” he said.
The legislator further alleged that armed fighters associated with Jubaland forces were operating openly around Omar Jillo without interference from Kenyan authorities.
“Yesterday, with all the security teams present, I personally saw Jubaland forces walking around Omar Jillo armed and unchallenged,” he claimed. “Nobody is even talking to them. They shoot the way they want.”
He urged the government to establish a Special Operations Group camp in the strategic area of Lady and increase the deployment of National Police Reservists to strengthen local security operations.
“You have the funds and we must use them where they are needed most,” Weytan said. “If we do not act, our people will continue dying in broad daylight.”
However, security agencies offered a different assessment of the incident, cautioning that investigations were still ongoing and warning against politicizing the attack.
Addressing the committee, Inspector General Kanja said the County Security Committee in Mandera and other relevant security agencies had been directed to immediately review the incident and implement measures to prevent further escalation.
“It was noted that the incident was criminally related and that the situation was rapidly evolving into a broader inter-crime conflict,” Kanja told lawmakers.
“Additionally, it was observed that the incident was increasingly being politicized, with some political actors allegedly exploiting the situation for political gain, a factor likely to further inflame tensions and undermine ongoing peace efforts,” he added.
Kanja said security agencies had intensified patrols in identified hotspots across Mandera County to deter retaliatory attacks and reassure affected communities.
He also revealed that authorities had launched consultations involving political leaders, clan elders, religious leaders and community representatives in an effort to calm tensions and promote dialogue.
“Engagement with leaders from all affected sides is ongoing with the aim of promoting dialogue and preventing further escalation,” Kanja said.
The police chief added that intelligence gathering and surveillance operations had been enhanced in vulnerable areas to detect and disrupt any planned attacks or mobilization of armed groups.
“In the meantime, all relevant government agencies have heightened security operations and sustained intelligence-led interventions, combining both enforcement and dialogue-based approaches to restore calm and maintain stability within Mandera County,” he said.
The deadly attack has once again highlighted the persistent security challenges facing Kenya’s northeastern region, where cross-border militancy, clan disputes and armed criminal networks continue to threaten civilian lives and regional stability.