PH
The chairman of Security Citizen Participation Committee, Joseph Kaguthi has raised alarm that teenagers and brilliant university students are joining terror groups.
Speaking to journalists in Nyeri town, Kaguthi blamed ignorance and poverty on the matter.
He said the most affected parts include Isiolo, Nakuru and Coast regions adding that schools have become new recruitment centers.
The veteran administrator noted that the terror cells are using conspiracy theories by making their targets to believe that they are discriminated and marginalized by governments.
“We have youths who have gone missing and some could have joined the terror groups. Parents should not shy away from reporting their missing children to authorities. They are targeting school children as young as 11 years old and university students whom they later radicalize,” said Kaguthi who also serves as Nyumba Kumi Initiative chairman.
He asserted that the terror groups are also recruiting Information Communication Technology (ICT) trainers citing a report that indicated that more than 500 ICT experts globally could have joined.
“Terrorists are also using social media. Radicalization is now a global challenge. Citizen Participation is needed to suppress these crimes,” he stated.
He further urged Muslim scholars to participate in anti-terrorism wars as he asked the community to accommodate returnees saying they need counselling.
He called for adequate citizen participation in security matters as he asked chiefs and police officers to involve public in maintaining security.
“Security is a joint mandate of every citizen. Chiefs serve as a link between citizens and government. To curb crime at all levels of administration, security agencies must involve the citizens,” he stated.
