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The timing and the coordinated manner in which most of the abducted youths were released yesterday, hundreds of kilometres apart, point to the security agencies as the likely captors.

As has been the case with others before them, the victims were threatened not to speak to the media nor reveal the details of their abductions, lest they be abducted again. They were further directed to desist from activism, according to multiple sources including family members.

Two days to their release, a senior security official also allayed fears, saying the abductees would be released any time from Sunday evening.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin had on various occasions admitted abductions are happening in the country but denied being involved.

Coincidentally, almost all the abducted individuals are social media influencers who are critics of President William Ruto and his administration.

Dozens of Kenyans have been abducted in the past and later released but the cases have not been conclusively investigated and the victims have not been bold enough to talk about their ordeal in the hands of abductors.

No arrests

On September 20, activist Bob Njagi and two brothers, Aslam and Jamil Longton who had been abducted a month earlier in Kitengela were also released by their captors. No one has been arrested in connection to their abduction and little is known about what transpired.

During that period, the abductors kept moving them from one place to another, while blindfolded.

They had been separately picked by men believed to be policemen. The Longton brothers were released around Gachie in Kiambu county while Njagi was released at around 1am in Tigoni.

The three were also released just hours before the then acting IG and the Administration Police Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli presented himself at the Milimani Law Courts in a bid to quash the six-month jail term imposed on him for contempt.

“The captors were interested in knowing who was sponsoring them to spearhead anti-government demonstrations in Kitengela,” a source said.

IG Kanja, who had just been appointed the IG, denied that police were holding the three.

Despite the fact that it was a case of serious violation of human rights, details about the abduction still remain scanty, with the police appearing reluctant to investigate the matter.

On October 28, 2021, for example, Prof Hassan Nandwa was abducted hours after he visited Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) head offices in Nairobi to receive his client, terror suspect Elgiva Bwire Oliacha, who had been released the same day from Kamiti Maximum Prison.

Eleven days later, he was found dumped in Mwingi, Kitui County, about 200km from Nairobi. Family members and those who found him said he had bruises on his body and he also looked confused and appeared to have been drugged and tortured.

Active investigations

The then National Police Service spokesman Bruno Shioso said Prof Nandwa was a victim of crime and that the matter was under active investigations. Police also denied any involvement, urging those with information to share with other agencies.

“The National Police Service will be interested in factual accusations if at all police are involved, we urge members of the public with information to file a formal complaint with the Internal Affairs Unit and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) for action,” Shioso said.

Nandwa represented Bwire, a self-confessed terrorist who was behind the October 24, 2011 terror attack at Kaka bus stage along racecourse road, Nairobi.

Bwire, also known as Seif Deen Mohamed aka Japhar aka Japhel Okuku, is still missing amid reports that even after serving his jail term, he was never rehabilitated.

Over three years later, the matter has not been investigated and Prof Nandwa has not revealed what he underwent.

Yesterday, Nyandarua Senator John Methu formally petitioned Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to convene a special sitting to deliberate the rise in forced abductions and disappearances.

In a letter to the Speaker, Methu termed the abductions a grave violation of fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, association, and the right to life and security.

He noted that the end of forced abductions and disappearances of government critics is a matter of critical national importance.

“This matter has raised deep national concern as it infringes on the fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, including the freedom of expression, association, and the right to life and security,” he said.

Active investigations

The senator further expressed concern over what he described as “alarming admissions” from the Kenya Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), who have denied involvement in the abductions.

This, he noted, raises fears of an organised criminal syndicate operating beyond the command of the Inspector General and targeting individuals critical of the current administration.

“This syndicate appears to target and silence critics of the current administration. This House must take the necessary steps to demand immediate action by the government to stop these illegal and unconstitutional practices,” Methu stated.

Experts have advised that the abductees should undergo thorough medical examination to, among other things, detect brain and soft tissue injuries.

None of these cases of abductions have been successfully investigations, despite the fact that the government has adopted a multi-agency approach in dealing with such serious cases.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS), for example, is expected to support and aid law enforcement agencies in detecting and preventing serious crimes, and collecting intelligence to be shared with relevant state agencies. That notwithstanding, the mystery surrounding such abductions are yet to be unravelled.

According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), 13 people have been abducted and disappeared mysteriously in the last three months alone, bringing to 82 the total cases since the Gen Z protests in June.