The Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno has authorized police officers to use firearms against armed criminal suspects in Mombasa County due to a surge in violent gang activity. This directive comes amidst intensifying operations targeting gangs like 'panga boys' and follows several high-profile violent incidents.

• Ali Nuno stated he has given police orders to use weapons the moment a thief is found raising a machete against someone.
• The National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) reported in a 2025 survey that Mombasa hosts 73 active gangs.
• High-risk areas include Likoni, Kisauni, Mvita, and parts of Nyali and Tononoka.
• Incidents include a January 2026 assault on a security guard in Tononoka, the January 2025 murder of IEBC official Aisha Abubakar in Kilifi, and a November 2024 machete attack in Bamburi Mwisho that severed a man's hand.

Four suspected members of the notorious “Panga Boys” gang have been arrested in Kwale County following a violent robbery. The arrests occurred after investigations linked them to an attack on January 22, 2026, in Mbuwani Village.

• Four suspects were apprehended at their hideout, where four pangas and six mobile phones were recovered.
• The National Police Service (NPS) stated the victim was ambushed by four assailants armed with pangas, robbed of his mobile phone, and sustained serious head and hand injuries.
• The suspects are being processed at Diani Police Station ahead of a court appearance, as the NPS intensifies security operations against organized criminal gangs in the Coastal region.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismantled an alleged extortion ring in Mtito Andei, leading to the arrest of three suspects, including a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer and a police officer. The trio posed as security operatives, intimidating bar owners and the public while cruising in a Toyota Axio with a fake registration.

• Three suspects were arrested: a KDF officer, a police officer, and a civilian.
• The vehicle used bore a fake registration number, and a search uncovered a black pistol holster and handcuffs.
• Victims positively identified the suspects in an identification parade.