A person of interest is in custody after National Police Service (NPS) officers on a routine patrol in Sabuli, Wajir County, recovered an illegal AK-47 rifle on Monday, December 1, 2025. The arrest underscores the relentless challenge of arms trafficking in a region grappling with insecurity.

This single seizure is a fraction of a much larger problem that directly impacts the safety and livelihoods of Kenyan families in the north. The proliferation of illegal weapons fuels everything from cattle rustling to violent extremism, creating an environment of instability that stifles development and peace.

A Region Awash with Illegal Arms

The Wajir incident is not isolated. It is part of a broader, troubling pattern of illegal arms circulation across Northern Kenya, a region security experts note is saturated with hundreds of thousands of illicit firearms. According to a 2017 small arms survey, Kenya had an estimated 740,000 illegal firearms in civilian hands, the highest in the East Africa region. These weapons are often smuggled across porous borders, originating from conflict zones in neighbouring countries like Somalia and South Sudan.

The consequences for communities are dire:

• Escalating Violence: The availability of automatic weapons has transformed traditional practices like cattle raiding into deadly, commercialized criminal ventures.
• Undermining Security: The firepower available to civilians and criminal gangs at times rivals that of local security forces, creating a significant threat to national security.
• Fueling Extremism: The flow of arms provides resources for terrorist groups like al-Shabaab, which has carried out attacks in the region.

A Continuous Battle for Control

The National Police Service has emphasized that operations to recover illegal weapons are ongoing across the country. In a statement following the Wajir arrest, the NPS reiterated its commitment to fighting crime and urged the public to report suspicious activity. Recent weeks have seen similar recoveries and voluntary surrenders of firearms in counties like Laikipia and Baringo, which the NPS views as a sign of growing public confidence in peace initiatives. However, the sheer volume of weapons in circulation presents a formidable challenge.

Analysts and government officials acknowledge that a purely domestic approach is insufficient. Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has previously stated that Kenya is actively engaging with neighbouring Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia to combat cross-border smuggling. For the families in Wajir and across the northern frontier, the success of these efforts is not an abstract policy goal—it is the difference between a life of fear and a future of peace and prosperity.