NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has launched construction of a multi-agency security camp near the porous border between Marsabit and Wajir counties, stepping up efforts to curb persistent human and drug trafficking along Kenya’s northern frontier.
The facility, located in Eldas Constituency, is expected to tighten surveillance along key smuggling routes that security officials say are frequently used to move narcotics and undocumented migrants from neighbouring Ethiopia into the country.
Wajir County Commissioner Karuku Ngumo described the project as a strategic intervention to strengthen law enforcement in a region long challenged by cross-border crime due to its vast and remote terrain.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Ngumo said the Basir corridor has presented significant operational challenges for security agencies, allowing traffickers to exploit the area’s isolation to move illicit goods and people with minimal detection.
“For a number of years now, this area has been identified as a major route for the trafficking of drugs and even aliens. This area is about over 200 km from Wajir town headquarters,” he said.
“So it has been a little bit of a challenge to man this area, and the criminal elements have taken advantage of that so that when they source the drugs, especially marijuana, from neighboring countries,” he added.
Ngumo disclosed that traffickers often transit through Marsabit County, then move through Wajir to Isiolo, before proceeding to Meru and other parts of the country.
The project is being implemented through a partnership between the County Security and Intelligence Committee and the National Government Constituency Development Fund, with support from Eldas Constituency leadership.
Officials said the camp will host multiple security agencies under a unified command structure, including units from the General Service Unit, Kenya Police Service, Administration Police Service, and the National Intelligence Service.
Authorities believe co-locating the agencies will improve coordination, strengthen intelligence sharing, and enable faster response to threats along the border.
Security officials said the installation will establish a permanent presence in an area that has been difficult to monitor, offering reassurance to residents and traders who rely on safe transport routes for their livelihoods.
The initiative forms part of a broader national strategy to reinforce security along Kenya’s northern borders and dismantle trafficking networks blamed for fuelling insecurity and drug abuse among youth.
“We will do whatever it takes to ensure that we curb this menace,” Ngumo said, warning that the illicit trade continues to harm communities.
“It’s a very serious issue considering that the drugs are mostly consumed by the youth who are the future of this country, and we have started to witness the bad effects of this even within Wajir, whereby you find several youths have become hooked on some of these drugs.”
He urged local residents to support the initiative, saying community cooperation will be critical in restoring order and reducing criminal activity in the region.
