Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo has called for empowering
border communities to help in the fight against terrorism.
He said the communities should be integrated into early warning systems.
“These communities are not passive observers; we must turn them into
strategic partners. By integrating them into early warning systems through
livelihood support programmes and civic education initiatives, we build trust
and resilience from the bottom up,” he said.
He called for the creation and institutionalization of cross-border
cooperation mechanisms, noting that joint task forces, shared patrols, and
coordinated response protocols with neighbouring states are effective when well
implemented.
“Our borders must reflect a shared commitment
to peace and mutual protection through structured and sustainable frameworks
that are contextualised, innovative, and responsive,” he added.
Omollo stressed the need to embed border
security within broader governance and development agendas, since security and
development are mutually reinforcing.
“Borderlands should be zones of prosperity and
must benefit from inclusive development, access to services, and participatory
governance. This holistic approach reduces vulnerability and counters the
appeal of extremist narratives,” he said.
He warned that the terrorist threat landscape
is rapidly evolving in scope and complexity.
“Terrorist groups have adopted sophisticated
structures to adapt to counter-terrorism efforts and exploit existing
vulnerabilities. They are leveraging technology and transnational criminal
networks to amplify their capabilities and extend operations,” he said.
Omollo noted that terrorists operate across
borders, taking advantage of weak surveillance, fragmented jurisdiction, and
limited coordination.
“Over 80% of violent extremist fatalities
recorded across the continent in 2024 occurred in border-adjacent regions,” he
said.
He made the remarks during the official
opening of the Fourth Nairobi Caucus on Border Security and Counter-Terrorism.
Omollo emphasized that borders are not
barriers but opportunities for connection, cooperation, and shared prosperity.
However, their porosity is being exploited by terrorists for logistics,
illicit trade, and recruitment.
He urged security players to transform borders
into security fortresses by enhancing intelligence and information-sharing.
He also called for interoperable platforms
that allow real-time intelligence exchange across agencies and borders,
strengthening joint data centres, harmonising protocols, and embedding
community-generated insights into national threat assessments.
“Border-related intelligence must be
actionable, inclusive, and anticipatory,” he said.
He added that technology must be leveraged to create smart border
infrastructure.
“Security agencies need to deploy advanced
surveillance technologies. We are in the age of biometric systems, drones, and
AI-powered analytics to detect and deter illicit movements,” Omollo noted.
He stressed that such infrastructure must be
supported by trained personnel and accountability frameworks.
The Nairobi Caucus was conceived as an
African-owned mechanism to anticipate and respond to terrorism and violent
extremism with contextualised solutions that reflect Africa’s social, cultural,
security, and political diversity.
More than 15 African countries are represented
at the meeting, including West African states for the first time.
In 2024, West Africa saw a tenfold surge in cross-border attacks, while
maritime trafficking along the Indian Ocean rose by 25%.
The meeting was sponsored by the European
Union.
Also present were officials from the National
Counter Terrorism Centre, led by Director General Kibiego Kigen, who emphasized
a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to counter violent
extremism, focusing on intelligence sharing, modernizing border infrastructure,
and deepening partnerships.
