Monday December 4, 2023
Nairobi (HOL) - CCTV footage has unveiled the abduction of Adan Osman, a Nairobi businessman and Madrassa teacher, in the bustling area of Eastleigh. The incident, occurring shortly before midnight on November 14, was meticulously carried out on First Avenue. Osman, a 40-year-old Somali refugee, was forcibly taken by armed assailants using a white double-cabin (pick-up) vehicle.
The recent CCTV footage sheds light on the details of the kidnapping. Osman, identifiable in an Islamic religious cap and engaged in a phone conversation, was ambushed while walking with a friend. Two men, one brandishing a firearm, emerged from a parked vehicle. A third accomplice, previously shadowing Osman and his friend, aided in the swift kidnapping. Osman, a refugee from Somalia, was thrust into the car, which then hastily departed, leaving his friend in a state of shock.
The victim's family, who last saw him attending morning prayers at 5:30 am on the day of his kidnapping, expressed deep distress and frustration with the lack of progress in the police investigation.
Abdikadir Ruwes, a relative who was speaking with Osman during the abduction, shared the last moments of their conversation. "He mentioned they were coming from Tahariri hotel, and while talking, the assailants appeared, forced him into the vehicle, and fled," Ruwes recounted.
Fardosa Mahad, another family member, voiced frustration with the police response. Despite reporting to several stations, including Ruaraka Police Station and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and submitting the CCTV footage, the reaction has been underwhelming. "It's been a week with no action from the security agencies to retrieve the footage, though a statement was recorded," Mahad remarked.
The incident raises concerns about the frequency of abductions in Kenya and the alleged involvement of law enforcement in such cases. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have previously accused Kenyan police of extrajudicial tactics, particularly against Muslim clerics.
This latest abduction follows a series of similar incidents in Kenya, including the high-profile kidnappings of billionaire Jaswant Rai in late August and businesswoman Ann Njeri Njoroge last month.
A screengrab of armed men abducting a man in Eastleigh on November 14, 2023. KENYANS.CO.KE