- Ahmed a Businessman and a boda boda rider were allegedly abducted from his home in Ijara town.
- They were reportedly bundled into a vehicle on September 24, before being driven to an unknown destination.
Image: Courtesy
The family of Ahmed Abdi Ahmed, 28, from Ijara sub-county can breathe with a sigh of relief after he was found alive in Hindi Lamu county on Wednesday night.
Ahmed a Businessman and a boda boda rider were allegedly abducted from his home in Ijara town and bundled into a vehicle on September 24, before being driven to an unknown destination.
Since then, his search has been going on.
In his account, his abductors dumped him in Hindi town at 8 pm on Wednesday.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, Ahmed’s Father Abdi Ahmed Abdi could not hide his joy with the development saying the search for his son had seen the family go through untold suffering.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
“As I am speaking to you I am still in Hindi, I hurriedly organized for the journey to this place when a stranger called me to tell me that my son who had been abandoned in Hindi wanted to talk to me. Indeed we spoke I confirmed it was him,” he said.
Abdi who said that he had to carry his son’s ID card which he had left in the house after he was hurriedly bundled in a waiting vehicle said that they were now planning to go back home in Ijara.
He said that his son was still traumatized by the turn of events.
“I have not interrogated him that much but he doesn’t seem interested to talk about his ordeals. As a family, we are not even interested to know what transpired. What is important to us is that we have found him alive and well,” he said.
Abdi while thanking the abductors for finally producing his son was however quick to call on the government to protect its citizens saying that such actions were unwarranted in this day and age.
“This habit of kidnapping a person from his house in the middle of the night under the watch of his wife and children is extremely cruel. This is our county which we love so much and If someone is suspected of any wrongdoing let him or her be arrested and be subjected to a court of law,” he said.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
He added:
“If this trend continues then the very same residents whom the government relies on to share actionable intelligence will be reluctant to do so because they will see the security officers as enemies and this will be counterproductive in the war against insecurity,” he said.
He thanked the local leaders whom he said played a huge role in having his son released.
He also called for the release of 25-year-old Abdi Mohamed Abdi, a herder and Abdi Djibrail Dagane who were also abducted separately and who are still missing.
ODM nominated MP Umulkheir Harun Mohamed who is among those who have been vocal on the issue calling for the immediate release of the abducted men took to her Facebook page to express her joy with the development.
“It is with thrill that we announce the release of one of the missing youth. We shall however follow up on why he went missing in the first place but for now, we say Asante. Meanwhile, we still have more missing youth, I urge the security apparatus to continue working with the community,” said Umulkheir who on Monday had visited the family in Ijara.
On his part, Ijara MP Abdi Ali said the relief and happiness from the family leaders and residents was immeasurable calling for the release of the two remaining men.
He however said that as leaders they will not rest until the reasons behind the forceful abduction of Ahmed and the circumstances surrounding the release of the other two sons become clear.