Nairobi County has announced a joint crackdown with the National Police Service on criminal elements within the Central Business District (CBD) after a surge in mugging incidents using horrific tactics.
Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria made the announcement on Wednesday, September 3, following widespread social media outcry and disturbing video testimonies from citizens who alleged to have fallen victim to robberies through what is commonly known as "Devil's breath".
According to Mosiria, gangs of youth have devised new tactics to rob civilians, as they disguise themselves as 'hustlers' in the city Centre, only to target civilians later in the day.
“They pretend to be content creators during the day, but by around 5:00pm, they begin stealing from unsuspecting people,” Mosiria said.
Notably, some of the robbery incidents have been reported to have taken place in broad daylight, with more than a dozen individuals involved in the mugging at a time.
What is Devil's Breath?
Scientifically known as scopolamine, Devil’s Breath is a potent compound derived from certain plants like Brugmansia and Datura, which grow in parts of South America, Asia, and Africa.
In small doses, the herb can be used to treat motion sickness, but over time, unscrupulous individuals have noted that it can become toxic in higher amounts and can be used to incapacitate individuals.
The chemical is typically used by criminals in powder form, where it is blown in a victim's face. It can also be transferred through handshakes, paper or other contaminated items.
Since one of the side effects of the chemical is disorientation, victims have previously reported experiencing confusion and eventually surrendering their items to the criminals, sometimes unknowingly.
In addition to the organised groups, Mosiria also raised concerns over street families colluding with unlawful waste disposers to rob residents.
He added, “Some of these individuals dump waste at night and rob people before fleeing to the backstreets,” he noted. “There are even reports of human waste being used as a tool for extortion.”
To curb the menace the county official announced plans to flush out street families from CBD backstreets. Mosiria also reiterated that there were additional police officers deployed in the city centre to monitor and avert any threats posed by thugs posing as content creators.
On Monday, former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko also sounded alarm over the rise in mugging incidents in the CBD by sharing an account from a lady who narrated how she almost fell victim.
The woman recounted how she was trailed by several individuals bearing weapons in broad daylight before eventually fending them off by seeking help.
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