Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno has authorised police officers to use firearms against the notorious Panga Boys gang, which has been terrorising residents and businesses through violent robberies across the region.
Speaking to the press, Nuno issued a stern warning to those involved in criminal activities, saying they have only two options: abandon crime or leave the Coast region altogether. He emphasised that police officers will not hesitate to use their firearms when legally justified.
“All those men and ladies involved in crime for one reason or another, your days are numbered. Crime doesn’t pay. You have two options: desist and accept salvation or move out of the entire Coast region. Where we are justified to use our firearms, we will not hesitate,” Nuno said.
The regional commander noted that decisive and firm action was necessary to curb the rising cases of violent crime that have left residents living in fear, particularly in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties.
He warned criminals found armed with pangas that police would respond with lethal force if lives are threatened.
“Nikikupata na panga ukiumiza mtu, nakupiga risasi, hatutacheka na mtu. These are lethal weapons capable of killing. Nimepeana amri ya kutosha, maafisa watumie silaha yao na hao vijana waangushwe,” Nuno stated.
His remarks come amid growing public concern over a surge in violent robberies along the Coast, where criminal gangs have been targeting shops, pedestrians and homes. Several CCTV clips circulating on social media show attackers armed with pangas and firearms storming businesses in areas such as Mtwapa and Bondo, leaving victims injured and traumatised.
In a recent incident in Kwale County, police arrested four suspected members of the Panga Boys gang following a violent robbery in Mbuwani Village on January 22, 2026. The suspects are alleged to have attacked a man using pangas, stealing his mobile phone and inflicting deep cuts on his head and hand.
During the arrest, officers recovered four pangas and six mobile phones believed to have been stolen from various victims.
Following the attacks, the National Police Service assured residents that security operations have been intensified across the Coast to dismantle organised criminal gangs and restore safety in affected areas.
Police have urged members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement by sharing information that can help in identifying and arresting criminals, as authorities move to contain the wave of violent crime in the region.
