Five Mandera chiefs who were abducted by Al-Shabaab open up on 62-day ordeal

Five chiefs from Elwak in Mandera South, who were kidnapped by suspected Al-Shabaab militants and held captive in Somalia for 62 agonizing days, have finally broken their silence.

Speaking at the Jukwaa la Usalama Security Baraza in Elwak town, the chiefs recounted their chilling ordeal at the hands of the militants.

They are now appealing for financial support and trauma counseling, while also backing the government’s plan to arm and train local administrators in frontline counties to confront the terror threat head-on.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has pledged State commendations for the five, hailing them as heroes who served on the edge of danger.

The chiefs; Adaw Abdi Mohammed, Mohammed Hassan, Mohammed Nur, Ibrahim Gabow, Abdi Hassan, and Abdi Hassan Suraw, used the Jukwaa la Usalama Security Assessment Baraza to recount their harrowing 62-day captivity in Somalia.

“We went through a lot of suffering there, leaving our families in distress,” said Adaw Abdi Mohammed.

The Chiefs thanked Kenyans for their prayers and goodwill, saying it was the nation’s support that gave them strength until their miraculous rescue.

But even back home, the scars run deep. Still reeling from trauma and financial strain after months without work, the chiefs are appealing for both psychiatric and economic assistance.

“Our families are struggling. We have been out of work for two months. We have written a request to government asking for help,” Mohammed explained.

Backing the State’s plan to arm and train local administrators in frontier counties, the chiefs are calling for better tools and logistical support to help them confront the terror threat.

CS Murkomen pledged State commendations for the five chiefs during the upcoming Mashujaa Day celebrations, promising improved welfare and security for all administrators in high-risk areas.

“We will honor you and respond to the challenges chiefs in the frontier counties undergo,” Murkomen assured.

Security agencies are also urging residents to cooperate fully in the fight against terrorism and shun practices that compromise security in Mandera.

“I urge all chiefs in frontier counties not to undermine the integrity of our identification process through corruption,” said Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin.