Recent reports have shed light on the methods employed by certain units within Kenya’s security apparatus to carry out abductions targeting activists and social media influencers.
A special team, comprising members from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), was reportedly formed to monitor and detain individuals deemed influential in mobilizing public dissent.
This squad operates discreetly, often using unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers to avoid detection.
The process typically begins with the NIS’s technical team monitoring the social media accounts and communications of potential targets.
Once an individual is identified, they are placed under surveillance, which includes both digital monitoring and physical trailing. At an opportune moment, the squad apprehends the target, sometimes in areas with security cameras to instill fear among the public.
The detainees are then blindfolded and driven around the city while being interrogated about the planning and financing of protests. Some are taken to safe houses managed by intelligence units for further questioning.
In some instances, these operations have been linked to extortion schemes. Victims, often young adults aged between 24 and 27, have recounted harrowing experiences of being abducted by armed, hooded men who demanded bribes for their release.
These rogue officers exploit the government’s stance on dissent to operate outside the law, turning abductions into a profitable racket.
Survivors have reported being held incommunicado, tortured, and traumatized, with some reappearing days later bearing signs of physical abuse.
The abductions are meticulously planned to intimidate protest movements and suppress opposition, while simultaneously providing financial gain to the perpetrators.
The involvement of high-ranking officials in these abductions has also come to light. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi alleged that the NIS was behind the abduction of his son, Leslie Muturi, in June 2024.
According to CS Muturi, his son was taken by armed men in Nairobi and was only released after President William Ruto intervened.
This incident highlights the reach and influence of the units carrying out these operations, as well as the challenges faced by even senior government officials in addressing such unlawful activities.
Despite public outcry and denials from security agencies, the abductions continue to instill fear and uncertainty among the populace, raising serious concerns about human rights violations and the rule of law in Kenya.
This former NIS officer explains how the abductions are carried out. He has injected 💉 properly! pic.twitter.com/nlN5sEZXuD
— Cornelius K. Ronoh (@itskipronoh) January 18, 2025
