Five Mandera Chiefs have been abducted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.
They were abducted on Monday 3rd February 2025 as they were heading towards Elwak between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki.
According to reports, the Chiefs from the Administrative units of Wargadud East, Qurahmudow and Chachabole were on a vehicle at the time of the incident.
The regional police boss has assured that a joint security team has been deployed to pursue the abductors.
Photo: Courtesy
Apart from that, reports claim that the Chiefs were to hold a meeting ahead of President William Ruto’s visit to the region.
Ruto is expected to visit the region accompanied by his Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
Al-Shabaab is a militant organization that is involved in the Somali Civil war and is active in East Africa.
For now, more than a decade, the Somali government has been fighting the Al-Shabaab since 2009 and due to lack of security along the Kenya-Somali border, the militants often target the rural Kenya Counties such as Wajir, Lamu and Mandera.
On January 31st, 2022, the Al-shabaab militant attacked a bus carrying civilians in Mandera County near the border with Somalia.
During the attack, ten people were killed and thirteen injured.
