Security team crafts measures to address raising crime in Madogo.

Tana River County County Commissioner David Koskei addressing residents of Madogo area.

Security team in Madogo, Tana river county have crafted new measures to address run away insecurity in the area.

The area has witnessed a wave of crime, mostly orchestrated by young people, popularly known as ‘Kayole’ .

The juvenile criminals aged as low as 12 years old, have been wielding knives, rungus and machetes, terrorizing citizens by robbing them of their valuables and even breaking into houses.

The situation has grown from bad to worse with residents being forced to retreat in their homes as early as five for fear of being attacked by the gangs.

So bad has been the situation that on Wednesday, top security officers led by County Commissioner David Koskei held a security meeting in Madogo area with area residents in a bid to address the situation.

A raft of measures were agreed upon at the meeting including the immediate ban of scrap metal businesses and activities, which are said to be fueling crime in the area.

Others announced include mopping up all street children and arresting their parents for child neglect.

Koskei has directed all chiefs and their assistant chiefs, and headmen to initiate community-policing programmes and involve members of the public in fighting crime in Madogo location, Bangale Sub County.

The administrators will be required to map all crime hotspots, classify criminal activities for each area and forward their reports to the sub county security committee for action.

He fired a warning shot at those he said have made it a habit of attacking police stations whenever a suspect has been arrested saying that police officers should be left to do their job.

“I have heard that when a person is arrested, you all go to the station to demand their release because they are your people. A criminal is a criminal; if you want to help them, let them go to prison, and in a few years, they will have reformed,” he added.

“Woe unto you if you run into the police station. There is no difference between the suspect and you, who goes to ask them to be released. Keep off completely from these matters or you will be arrested too and charged for aiding crime,” Koskei said.

Tana River county police commander Saddiq Wiliam has expressed frustrations by the officials from the office of the director of public prosecutions (ODPP) in Garissa for failing to charge suspects arrested for various crimes in Tana River or referring the cases to the Alternative Justice Resolution (ADR).

The police commander lamented that it was unfortunate that police officers continue to be blamed for not taking action when it was the prosecutors' failing to charge them and letting them walk free.

The visibly frustrated police boss said that if the issues continue to arise, they would be forced to take suspects to alternative courts in the Coast region.

“A police officer arrested a suspect with bhang, and the prosecutor diverted the case to ADR, is there dispute resolution on bhang really?. What will we be discussing with bhang peddlers? I think we must be serious in this country,” William said.

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