Families of three abducted seek Ruto's help for their safe return

Businessman cum politician Jimmy Wanjigi talks to a police officer when he arrived at Nairobi regional police headquarters on Monday, August 19, 2024 following a summon he got from the regional DCI to attend for grilling over his link to funding Gen z protest in the city. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

The two families of three young men abducted in Kitengela after protesting the arrest of Safina Party Leader Jimmi Wanjigi have appealed to President William Ruto for help in securing the return of their loved ones

The youths, identified as Bob Njagi, Aslam Longton, and Jamil Longton, were taken by individuals in suits who claimed to be police officers from Nairobi but provided no reason for the arrests.

Friends, family members, and boda boda riders in Kitengela said that the trio was abducted shortly after addressing the media in Kamukunji police station Nairobi, to protest Wanjigi's arrest.

“We request the president to keep his promise during campaigns that no one will be abducted or assassinated under his rule when elected,” said Abdulrazak Longton, brother to Jamil and Aslam.

Businessman Wanjigi was arrested this Monday and detained at Kamukunji Police Station after appearing before the Regional Investigation Officer at the Nairobi Area Police Station.

According to the police, Wanjigi was summoned regarding a vehicle discovered outside his gate on August 8, 2024. The police reportedly found tear gas canisters, mobile phones, and various other items inside the car. Wanjigi has denied any connection to the vehicle or its contents.

His lawyer, John Khaminwa, criticized the detention as a violation of court orders, describing it as despicable. Khaminwa, who accompanied Wanjigi to the police station, stated that his client had secured a court order preventing the police from detaining or arresting him. He argued that the summons were contemptuous, as they sought to infringe on Wanjigi’s freedom of movement.

"What is happening now is despicable. That is not the way justice should be administered at all. Things are happening that used to happen during the Moi administration, which I thought as a country we had now got over," said Khaminwa.

According to the Kitengela Police Station OB No. 107/19/8/2024, Njagi was abducted while riding in a matatu, while Aslam and Jamil were taken from their car, which was left at the roadside.

“We have not heard from them since Monday,” Abdulrazak said.

The families are calling on President Ruto to intervene and ensure their loved ones are brought back home, alive or dead.

The three are among dozens who have been abducted by individuals posing as police officers following the Gen Z protests, during which several people were found dead, and others remain missing.

 “The people who took them were in suits and ties and identified themselves as police officers. The boda boda riders saw them, but they refused to explain the reason for the arrests,” Abdulrazak added.

Nurwin Fozia, a cousin of Aslam and Jamil, described the family’s trauma following the abductions. “Our family is deeply traumatized. We are praying for their safe return, and any efforts to help trace them would be greatly appreciated,” Fozia said. She added that the family has reported the disappearance to the Kitengela Police Station and has been tirelessly searching for the missing youths across several counties.

The two brothers have been missing since Monday after they were abducted in Kitengela by unknown individuals. “They were last seen being driven away in a white Subaru, license plate KDQ, to an unknown destination. All their phones went silent immediately after. The family has reported their disappearance to the Kitengela Police Station, OB No. 107/19/8/2024, and continues to search for them across Kitengela, Isinya, Kajiado, Narok, Machakos, and Nairobi,” Fozia said.

Human rights organizations have strongly condemned the abductions, linking them to the state’s crackdown on dissent. The Communist Party of Kenya issued a statement denouncing the abductions as part of a broader campaign of state terror aimed at silencing opposition to President Ruto’s administration.

“The abductions are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader pattern of state terror aimed at intimidating those who dare to stand up against the tyranny of Ruto’s regime,” the statement read.

Speaking to The Standard, civil society members and friends of the abducted youths said the trio was targeted because of their strong stance against Ruto’s bad leadership.

Abdulrazak expressed the deep distress felt by the families, who fear for the safety of their sons.

Njagi was taken from a matatu, while Aslam and Jamil were pulled from their vehicle.

“We are begging President Ruto to keep his promise that no one would be abducted or assassinated under his leadership,” Abdulrazak pleaded. “The people who took them were dressed in suits and ties and identified themselves as police officers, but they refused to explain the reason for the arrests.”

The abductions come amid a series of similar incidents targeting individuals involved in recent anti-government protests, particularly those associated with the Gen Z movement.

Civil society groups, including KNCHR, have raised alarms over the growing number of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. KNCHR reports that 66 individuals are currently missing, and 60 others have lost their lives during the protests.

Communist Party of Kenya (CPK) National Vice Chairperson Buka Ngesa said the disappearances occurred on Monday, August 19, under circumstances that suggest a well-coordinated operation.

“Instead of the police protecting us, it sees us as its enemies. It’s killing and abducting Kenyans at will,” Ngesa said.

 The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya (PRWG-K) also condemned the abductions, calling them a gross violation of human rights.

“These abductions, which have occurred over the last five days and intensified last night, are a gross violation of human rights and amount to arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances as prohibited under the Constitution of Kenya,” the group in a statement.