Kenyan Police are interrogating 33 aliens who were arrested in the capital Nairobi on Monday amid enhanced security measures aimed at thwarting terror attacks in the country.
Japheth Koome, Nairobi County Police Commander, said on Tuesday in Nairobi that the immigrants were mostly Somalis who did not have proper identification documents to warrant their stay in the country.
The police commander said the aliens would be arraigned in court to face various charges, adding that three of the suspects were South Sudanese.
“If someone is here as a refugee or for anything else without the needed papers, he is a criminal.
“Let them register with the authorities as per the law, because the security forces are not taking any chances,’’ he said.
Koome said the elaborate security measures had been put in place as Kenya prepared for the historic visit by Pope Francis to ensure his safety.
The officer said last week, nine Ethiopians were arrested for being in the country illegally in a new operation in Nairobi.
Koome said the security officers would continue with the operation in efforts to ensure security for the city.
He added the operation to get rid of illegal immigrants had been ongoing, and that more than 200 aliens had so far been arrested.
“Last week, more than 160 Somalis were arrested in Nairobi for being in the country illegally.
“The immigrants are using Kenya as their transit route to other countries such as South Africa or other European countries,’’ he said.
The Kenyan authorities have blamed the vastness of the region for the runaway influx of foreigners into Kenya through Moyale on Kenya-Ethiopia borders and the porous border with Somalia.
Many aliens from Somalia have managed to sneak into the county with the help of brokers after paying hundreds of shillings.
Several aliens who find their way into the cells have tripled in the past few days over stretching the capacity of the cells in the East African nation.
Meanwhile, refugee rights organisations and aid agencies have blamed poverty in Africa for the rising cases of human trafficking.
They said the huge supply of labour both skilled and unskilled makes them vulnerable to criminal syndicates. (Xinhua/NAN)