Five Chiefs Abducted in Mandera

Five area chiefs of Mandera County were abducted today while travelling along the Wargadud-Elwak road, the police announced.

According to police officials, the five; senior chiefs Mohammed Adawa of Wargadud East Location, Abdi Hassan Kulmiya of Wargadud Location, Mohammed Noor Hache of Chachabole Location, Abdi Hassan Suraw (Qurahmudow), and assistant chief Ibrahim Gabow (Wargadud Town), were kidnapped by suspected Al-Shabaab militants near Iresuki village, about 23 km north of Elwak Police Station.

Mandera South police commander Julius Njeru confirmed the incident and stated that the administrators were travelling to Elwak for official duties in preparation for President William Ruto’s visit to the North Eastern region when their car, a Suzuki Alto Wagon R, was seized by the abductors and driven in the opposite direction to Lafey after they were blindfolded.

The President, along with his deputy Kithure Kindiki, is expected to visit the three counties of Mandera, Garissa, and Wajir this week.

As investigations begin, it’s important to note that in December last year, a driver working for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) was shot and killed by suspected Al-Shabaab terrorists in the same Lafey area, located at Kenya’s international border with Somalia.

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