There was relief among the families of five chiefs who were abducted in Mandera by al-Shabaab gunmen while travelling from Wargadud to Elwak town in Mandera County after they were released.
The group was set free from their captivity in Jilb on Sunday April 6, officials aware of the issue said.
Elders who participated in the negotiations leading to the release said the chiefs were freed on Sunday.
They were released and handed over to Garreh elders in Jilb, Somalia Sunday evening.
Plans to bring them back to Elwak, Kenya side were underway, officials said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen who is on a tour of Coast was to issue as statement later on.
The five chiefs- Mohammed Adawa, Mohammed Hassan, Mohammed Noor, Assistant Chief Ibrahim Gabow, and Senior Chief Abdi Suraw- were abducted after they were ambushed by suspected terrorists in Elwak, Mandera County on February 3, a day before President Ruto started his tour of the region.
Officials said they were expected to be debriefed by security officials after their release and reunification with the families.
Ruto said the following day after the incident “the five abducted Mandera chiefs will be brought back home safely.”
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo reiterated the President’s commitment to release the five and a woman believed to be a daughter of one of the officials.
“These are chiefs who work for the government and the ministry responsible for securing the country and they have been taken by terrorists, or what we call al-Shabaab, and this demonstrates that none of us is immune to some of these insecurity incidents.”
A ransom was demanded by the abductors and it is not clear if it was paid. It is not clear how much was paid, if any.
They had been taken to Jilb area which is the stronghold of al Shabaab, officials said.
The government used local leaders to negotiate the return of the five chiefs.
All the chiefs were blindfolded and the militants took control of the vehicle and drove it towards Lafey general direction, witnesses and police said.
Security officials said the gang behind the attack seemed to have prior information on the movements of the administrators before they struck.
They struck about 25 kilometers from the main porous Kenya-Somalia border indicating they knew their way around.
The group was to travel to Mandera to attend the presidential event when they were attacked.
The mission to rescue the team by a team of special forces was thwarted after they were hit by an improvised explosive device that had been set on the route.
The area is near the Kenya-Somalia border where al Shabaab gangs cross for attacks and rush back to their hideouts.
There are ongoing operations in the border area to address the terror-related menace.
The attacks have affected development at large in the area.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
