Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has raised the alarm regarding recruitment of youths from northern Kenya into al Shabaab.
In his view, recruiters pass themselves off as headhunters looking to connect youths with jobs in Syria, Israel and Russia.
The revelation is a serious security challenge which requires urgent attention from both national and county governments.
The problem requires all players from different security agencies to work in concert. The police alone will be overstretched.
We must commend Abdullahi for raising the issue publicly. Chiefs, village headmen and youth leaders must all play their part in sending the right message to youths.
Families too should be sensitised on the need to speak to their sons and daughters about the danger of joining extremist groups.
Religious leaders in both churches and mosques should join this fight by educating the youth, even as they preach peace and love and tolerance.
The national government and intelligence too needs to recruit intelligence gathering mechanism to get to the centre of the security threat.
The youth unemployment crisis no doubt is a contributing factor to the looming danger and both county and national government should by now have created a region-specific initiative for jobs that could make the youths not fall for promises of easy cash.
Failing to act now, even after being tipped off publicly, can only lead to a national security disaster.
Quote of the day: “Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”
Thomas Paine
The English-born American political theorist and philosopher was born January 29, 1737
