Police Boss Issues ‘Shoot-to-Kill’ Directive Against Armed Criminals
The county is home to 73 active gangs wreaking havoc on residents, including notorious groups such as Panga Boys, Wakali Kwanza, Team Sixty Nine, and 40 Brothers...
✨ Key Highlights
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.
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Security Forces Target Gangs, Extortion Rings, and Terror Financing - February 2026
The Coast Regional Police Commander, Ali Nuno, has authorized officers to use firearms against armed criminal suspects in Mombasa due to a surge in violent gang activity targeting groups like 'panga boys'. In Kwale County, four suspected members of the “Panga Boys” gang were arrested following a violent robbery. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) dismantled an extortion ring in Mtito Andei, leading to the arrest of a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer and a police officer. On a national level, the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) has designated 13 individuals under targeted financial sanctions for terrorism financing. This action mandates an immediate freeze on their assets by all financial institutions.
