A multi-agency operation has led to the arrest of 26 suspects accused of orchestrating a sophisticated scheme to illegally obtain government identification documents, including National ID cards, passports, birth certificates and alien registration cards.

The two-day sting targeted a network spanning civil servants attached to the National Registration Bureau and the Directorate of Immigration, chiefs, private financiers and brokers allegedly involved in fast-tracking document issuance through corrupt means.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the suspects colluded to circumvent official procedures, exploiting their access to sensitive systems to unlawfully register and process critical identity documents.

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Authorities say the scheme posed a serious national security threat by enabling undocumented individuals to enter or exit the country undetected.

During the operation, detectives recovered an assortment of government property found concealed in the homes of some suspects—items that should only be held within authorised offices. Among the seized materials were filled and blank ID application forms, fingerprint-capture equipment, birth and death certificates, passports, official stamps and other registration instruments.

Those arrested include officials and intermediaries from Nairobi’s Embakasi, Kamukunji, Eastleigh and several government head offices. They are:

Judy Kemunto Ondari (Registrar of Persons, Embakasi), Moses Mugoya Margaret (Clerk, Registrar of Persons – NSSF), Ruth Osebe Sukuru (Registrar of Persons, Kamukunji), Jawahir Mohamed Muse (Assistant Chief, Eastleigh North), Moulid Yusuf Dige (Businessman), Mohamed Issack Gedow (Assistant Chief, Eastleigh), Abdirizak Osman Rage (Freelance middleman), Alfred Opia Ayaway (Freelance middleman), Abdirizak Abdi (Electronics technician), Abdirashid Mohamed Ali (Clerk, Shima Group International), Festus Bahati Chai (Fingerprint Technician, Registrar of Persons – Head Office), Abdirizack Bashir Farah (Freelance middleman), Samatar Osman Robne (Businessman), Fuadh Bulle Mohamed (Businessman), Geoffrey Mokoro Mutanya (Clerk, Immigration Head Office), Joseph Mwendwa Munyithia (Registrar of Persons, Kariokor), AbdiKadir Mohamed Dahir (Businessman), Berrick Kororia Maghas Sukuru (Registrar of Persons, Kamukunji), David Korir (Clerk, Registrar of Persons Head Office), Titus Mwanga Nthenge (Senior Subordinate Staff, Registrar of Persons – Head Office), Yahya Daud Manor, Issack Abdow Mohammed, Nelson Katana Kazungu, Daniel Munywoki Kavuwa, Abdullahi Abdi Khamisi and Abdirahman Roba Guyo.