The National Police Service (NPS) has flagged as fake a viral social media post claiming that the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, had assured Kenyans of safety from possible attacks by the United States, Israel, or Iran.
In a post on its social media pages, the NPS issued a disclaimer, noting that the statement did not originate from the police leadership.
The fake post claims that IG Kanja said Kenyan authorities are prepared for war and ready to respond to any foreign aggression, assuring Kenyans of safety following the escalation currently witnessed in Iran and other Asian countries.
“Police IG Kanja assures Kenyans that they are safe from USA, Israel, and Iran attacks, and the Kenyan police are ready for war,” the fake post is captioned.
The caption followed a video of the police leadership in a media briefing after landing in the coastal region on February 27.
The video captures the police boss issuing a warning to criminal gangs and drug traffickers who have terrorised residents in the coastal region, promising to pursue them to the end.
The video, however, does not capture the IG mentioning any foreign state and does not condemn the attacks in the Middle East.
“We want a situation whereby no Kenyan will look over his shoulder because he feels he is not secure. So all those criminals must take note that we will not give you space for that,” IG Kanja stated.
Kanja was in Mombasa to attend the annual KPS high-level security conference at the Kenya Maritime Authority in Mombasa.
The notice came at a time when thousands of Kenyans find themselves concerned about their safety after joint U.S.-Israel military strikes on Iran and Iran’s subsequent retaliatory attacks on U.S. and allied bases across the Middle East. These developments have prompted the Kenyan government to issue travel and security advisories for its nationals in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Kenyans in these countries should register with the nearest Kenyan Embassy or Consulate and update their next of kin through the diaspora, assuring them that Kenya was assessing the situation.
The ministry also issued hotline numbers for citizens in the affected countries, where they would be given assistance as the war escalates.
