Nairobi — 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 the northern frontier.
The facility, located in Eldas Constituency, is designed to tighten surveillance along key smuggling routes that security officials say are frequently used to move narcotics and undocumented migrants from neighboring Ethiopia into Kenya.
Wajir County Commissioner Karuku Ngumo described the project as a strategic intervention to strengthen law enforcement in a region that has long struggled with cross-border crime due to its vast and remote terrain.
Speaking at 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.
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“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 said.
He disclosed that the traffickers often transit through Marsabit County, through Wajir to Isiolo, and then to Meru and onwards to 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 the Eldas constituency.
Officials said the new camp will house multiple security agencies under one 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 security threats along the border, where criminal networks have historically taken advantage of limited law enforcement presence.
Ngumo said the government was determined to dismantle trafficking networks, warning that the illicit trade continues to harm communities and fuel insecurity.
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Security officials at the ceremony noted that the camp will establish a permanent security 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.
Once operational, the facility is expected to serve as a central hub for intelligence gathering, patrol coordination, and rapid deployment of security units responding to cross-border crime.
While acknowledging that dismantling trafficking syndicates will require sustained effort, Ngumo said the new installation signals a firm commitment by the government to restore order and reduce criminal activity in northern Kenya.
“We will do whatever it takes to ensure that we curb this menace,” he said.
“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 called on the local community to support the initiative for the benefit of the county.
