The family of a 57-year-old Garissa herder allegedly taken from his homestead by men identified as security officers is demanding his immediate release and information about his whereabouts.
Siyad Abdi Omar disappeared on September 27 after people believed to be security officers arrived at his home in Sarira sub-location, El Kambere, in Hulugho and took him away.
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Siyad is married to three wives and has nine children.
His relatives, speaking to journalists at a family member’s home in Bula Muzuri, Garissa town, on Wednesday, said they remained desperate for answers and had been unable to locate him.
Family spokesperson Zakaria Yussuf said the men arrived at about midday in six vehicles and asked for Siyad. He said the officers waited for him to return from herding his goats.
“They came in six vehicles, firing shots into the air and frightening everyone at home. He was away herding his goats, but they waited for him. When he came back at around 1 pm, they blindfolded him and drove away with him,” Yussuf said.
He said the family had sought information from several places but received contradictory accounts about where Siyad might have been taken.
“Some people say he is still within Hulugho, while others say he was moved elsewhere. We simply do not know,” he said.
The relatives said residents identified the men as security personnel because of their uniforms and the vehicles they used.
The family also complained that it had encountered difficulties while trying to report the disappearance to police.
Yussuf said elders went to Hulugho Police Post to report the case but were allegedly turned away without being given an Occurrence Book number.
He said the family later faced a similar situation when it attempted to make a report at Garissa Police Station.
“We are not asking the government for a favour. We are demanding the release and safe return of our family member because that is our legal right,” Yussuf said.
“If the authorities suspect him of something, they should tell us. They can say he is under investigation and explain where the matter has been reported. We have not received any information at all,” he said.
The family has appealed to national and local leaders to intervene.
Yussuf said the uncertainty had caused severe distress, especially because the family did not know whether Siyad was alive, injured or being held in detention.
“We are Muslims. If someone dies, we accept it, mourn and move on. But we do not know what has happened to our family member,” he said.
The family also said another relative, Ahmed Noor, had been missing for nearly two years after he was allegedly picked up at night in Garissa town.
Yussuf said relatives were previously told that Noor was in Nairobi and would eventually be released, but they had never confirmed where he was being held.
“This is the same family — two people are missing, and we do not know whether they are dead or alive,” he said.
Garissa Human Rights Network official Muktar Dahir Osman urged the government and security agencies to account for Siyad.
“We want to know whether Siyad has committed any offence. We are governed by the rule of law. If Siyad Abdi Omar has committed an offence, he should be taken to court and his family informed,” Osman said.
He said the alleged abduction was especially troubling because it took place in broad daylight.
Osman urged any security agency with information about Siyad to disclose his whereabouts and ensure that his constitutional rights were respected.
“It is very unfortunate that our own government and security agencies are picking up people day and night. This trend is causing families a lot of pain, and we are saying that it cannot continue,” he said
“The president himself has repeatedly assured Kenyans that extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and abductions will be a thing of the past, but we continue to witness the same.”
Noor Bashir, a member of the Garissa Human Rights Defenders Network, said the case had revived concerns about alleged abductions and disappearances in border areas.
Bashir said security agencies had a responsibility to protect citizens, but must also follow the law when arresting people suspected of wrongdoing.
“If someone is suspected of wrongdoing, there is a legal procedure that must be followed. The person should be arrested, booked at the nearest police station and, where necessary, taken to court,” he said.
He called on authorities to establish Siyad’s whereabouts and ensure that any case against him was handled through the proper legal channels.
The alleged abduction comes amid a long history of complaints about disappearances and abuses attributed to security agencies in parts of northern and northeastern Kenya.
President William Ruto has previously spoken about the controversy surrounding alleged abductions and disappearances.
Recently, the president acknowledged concerns about people disappearing during protests and said there could be no justification for illegal arrests or actions that endanger citizens’ lives and liberty.
The President urged Kenyans with information about cases involving suspected police officers to report them to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
The latest case has again drawn attention to the balance between security operations and residents’ rights in border communities such as Hulugho, where security agencies operate amid the threat posed by Al-Shabaab.
