Al-Shabaab abducts 5 Kenyan chiefs in Mandera County

NAIROBI, Kenya - At least five National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) from Mandara County have been allegedly abducted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants, officials said, just days before President William Ruto visits the northeastern region.

Julius Njeru, the Mandera South Sub County Police Commander, said the five were traveling from Wargadud to Elwak town for duty before they were ambushed by the militants, who perhaps crossed over to Sthe omalia border after the incident.

Security officers working with the multi-agency security teams and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) are said to be pursuing the militants, with the ultimate hope of rescuing the administrators, who were reporting for official duties at the time of abduction.

The incident is the first targeting government officials in as many months, with the al-Shabaab always pursuing chiefs and police officers whenever they want to strike. Chiefs an important role in relaying information to security teams.

The whereabouts of the administrators, but it is believed the militants are taking them for ransom purposes. The group is known to be sparing locals who share the same religion and ethnicity, only using them to solicit money from the government.

This is not the first time Al-Shabaab militants have abducted people within the region. In 2011, they held hostage Italian citizens leading to authorization of Operation Linda Nchi, which paved the way for KDF incursion in Somalia before joining the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

In 2019, the militants also abducted two Cuban doctors Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodriguez Hernandez before taking them across the border. There were negotiations between elders from across the two countries negotiating for their release but they collapsed.

The abduction of the five chiefs comes at the time President William Ruto is set for a development visit to northeastern Kenya where he is set to inspect several projects in the coming days. Mandera Senator Ali Roba is one of the organizers of the trip.

For almost three years, the region has been fairly stable with the multi-agency security teams managing to neutralise the Somalia-based terror group. KDF has also established 14 Forward Operating Bases along the border between Kenya and Somalia to monitor the situation.

GAROWE ONLINE