Garissa driver opens up after surviving kidnapping ordeal

Mohamud Abdullahi has spoken for the first time, a week after being allegedly kidnapped by people believed to be security officers.

“I went through hell in the hands of police officers and I would never wish even my worst enemy to go through the same ordeal,” said  Mohamud.

In an interview with the Star at his brother's house on Tuesday in Garissa town, a visibly terrified Mohamud was hesitant to open up on his predicaments but finally accepted after being persuaded.

Mohamud Abdullahi, a taxi driver, narrated how he was abducted alongside four passengers in the Modika area along the Garissa-Madogashe road on a fateful July 27. 

“It is an ordeal I don’t want to talk about because it only brings back fresh memories of the torture I was subjected to by the security officers who did not want to hear anything. All I remember are kicks, blows and slaps reigning on me,” he said from his bed.

Mohamud has taken refuge in his brother's house in Garissa town as he continues to nurse his injuries under the supervision of close relatives.

On that fateful day, he woke up early to go about his daily taxi business and picked up passengers at Garissa Ndogo stage in Garissa town.

Unknown to him, he carried a passenger security forces had been trailing.

“Right after Modika, which is close to 12 Km from Garissa town I looked at my side mirror and noticed two vehicles trailing me at high speed."

The businessman said his plea to security officers that he knew nothing about Idle Fara fell on deaf ears. Four hooded men ordered all of them to come out of the vehicle with their hands raised. He hails from Ohiyo in Balambala subcounty. 

He says the officers got irritated when he declined to cooperate with them. They called for reinforcement and some more police officers arrived minutes later.

He said he was blindfolded and thrown into a TX car while the other man was bundled into a double cabin car before the two vehicles sped off back to Garissa. He is not sure what happened to the other four women.

Mohamud said he could hear, the other suspect crying and pleading that he never owned a gun and was not part of a clan militia operating in Garissa town.

“After almost three hours of torture, we were driven to a different place. When we reached our destination we were taken to a building with underground steers. There we met another team that continued to subject us to untold suffering,” he says as he struggles to hold back his tears.

They later embarked on another journey and after driving for close to two hours one of the captives removed the handcuff. The vehicle slowed down before he was thrown out after surrendering his cell phone.

“I gained strength and stood up after a few minutes writhing painfully on the ground. I realised I had been dumped at the Nairobi-Mombasa junction. I then called one of my relatives to come and pick me up.”

By the time they arrived home a big crowd had already gathered after word went around that he had been set free by his kidnappers,” he said.

In an interview, Garissa County Muslim for Human Rights coordinator Abdishukri Jelle said they would document all cases of enforced disappearance and extra-judicial killings that have occurred in the county since the Kenya Kwanza administration came into power.

Jelle said it is important to know the exact numbers of those missing to help hold the government accountable.

While the exact number of people who have been victims of police actions is not known, the numbers have been rising in the recent past.

In the latest alarming case, four people were abducted by people suspected to be police officers.

Mohamed Buya Shangalow, Mohamed Hussein Ibrahim, Idle Farah and Osman Yussuf were abducted on different dates four months ago.