Terror recruiters have been preying on Kenyan youth in institutions of higher learning for their own selfish interests.

Some students have fallen right into the terrorist’s network trap either wittingly or unwittingly. Those targeted for recruitment were students pursuing diverse disciplines including Engineering, Law and Medical courses.

Majority of those recruited have either perished in foreign battle fields or are languishing in prisons far away from home. Several have been executed without evidence on allegations of spying on al-shabaab or ISIS on behalf of Kenyan security forces or western nations. It is a known fact that Kenyans who join the terror networks like al-shabaab in Somalia are viewed as outsiders, are constantly persecuted as spies leading to them ranking lowly among other fighters.

During skirmishes with security forces, these recruited Kenyans are routinely put on front lines as human shields for other fighters. The intention is to have them become the first casualties reducing ‘foreign fighters’ numbers within the terror group and consequently limiting their influence.

The following students are among those who abandoned their studies and travelled to Somalia, Libya and Iraq to either join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Al -Shaabab terror networks.

Khalid Hassan Issack aka Jafar was a former student at the University of Nairobi. He was born in Mandera County and attended Wamy High school between 2004 and 2007 where he attained a mean grade of B. He joined the University of Nairobi, Kabete Campus to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He dropped out of campus in April 2014 where in the beginning of 2015, he joined al-shabaab. Khalid was among the four gun men in the Garissa University attack.

Abdirahim Abdullahi Mohammed was a former law student at University of Nairobi. Born in Mandera County, he went on to attain a mean grade A in his KCSE exams. Those who knew Abdirahim, describe him as a witty, smart and a promising student. His mother also described him as a quiet and obedient boy. Abdirahim was identified as one of the four gun men linked to al-Shaabab who attacked Garissa University in 2015. He was eliminated by the Kenyan security forces in the Garissa attack.

Salim Rashid Mohammed aka Chotara is a sad example of a promising young man who was exploited by terror networks for their own selfish gain. Chotara was a student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) studying Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering. However, he dropped out in January 2016 and subsequently applied for a scholarship at Istanbul Kultur University, Turkey. He travelled to Turkey on 1st September 2016 where he only studied for one semester, September to December 2016 before dropping again in a quest to cross over to Syria to join ISIS. While in Kenya he attempted to sneak out of the country numerous occasions heading to Syria unsuccessfully. He finally left to join ISIS through illegal entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where he was arrested and currently languishing in prison.

Abdihakim Abdisemed also known by the name Farah Warsame attended primary school in Wajir County where his mother was a teacher. He sat for his KCPE exams in 2008 where he scored 420 marks out of a possible 500. He then proceeded to Starehe Boys Center School where he obtained grade A which secured him a place at Kenyatta University (Parklands campus) to pursue a Law degree. In 2015 he dropped out in 3rd year to join the Islamic State in Libya (ISIL) as a fighter. Just like the rest he was placed as cannon fodder during the battle and was killed in Libya.

Abdulaziz/Abdiaziz Ibrahim Sheikh also known as Biggie aka Abu Musab Al Kinyi was a Moi University, Eldoret student pursuing Chemical Engineering degree. In 2015, it is believed he travelled to join Islamic State (IS) in Libya. He was deployed as a foreign fighter to Sirte where he died in June 2016 while taking part in a suicide mission.

Similarly, Adan Dika Bilala was a Bachelor of Science student at Moi University studying Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Structural Engineering. He got recruited through an elaborate network that was targeting bright students at Moi University. He is said to have ran away alongside Abdulaziz/Abdiaziz Ibrahim Sheikh in 2015 to join IS in Libya as a foreign fighter.

Kenya is a country of many opportunities, a regional hegemony boasting a diverse social-cultural demographic. Often terror operatives endeavour to sow seeds of discord targeting the youth with poisoned narratives aimed to create rifts among otherwise peaceful coexisting communities. Collective coordinated action by stake holders both in government and private sector are crucial in building community resilience to malicious actors ready to sacrifice our youth in their alters of power.