Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has broken his silence over the abduction of two foreigners in Marsabit County.
Masengeli spoke on Thursday, August 14, 2024, in Moyale area, Marsabit County accompanied by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin where two South Korean nationals were abducted.
Unidentified gunmen kidnapped two South Korean missionaries in northern Kenya, near the border of Ethiopia on Monday, August 12 evening.
The acting IG said that the two had visited the area following the abduction and rise in attacks, further adding that police have since launched investigations.
On the other hand, Masengeli said that police officers are currently following up on leads that could help them find the abducted foreigners.
“The things that happened a few days ago are the reason why we have travelled all the way. For those Koreans that were abducted, we are still investigating. They haven’t been found but there are some leads that we are pursuing,” said the IG.
“There is a team that is following up on the matter and the investigations are currently ongoing so that we get a way to find them and return them back to their families.”
At the same time, Masengeli said that human and drug trafficking and other illegal dealings are currently on the rise in the area and vowed that security officials will put an end to it.
Acting IG Masengeli makes Appeal over Abduction of Foreigners
He further urged locals to share crucial information concerning the abduction of the foreigners who he said were missionaries who have been involved in building schools and boreholes in the area.
“We are appealing to the members of the public, if there is anyone with information about the abduction to disclose to the government so that we can find them,” he added.
“The foreigners were not politicians they were missionaries who have built schools and boreholes to help the less privileged.”
Also Read: Govt Gives Way Forward After Attack That Left 7 Dead
Masengeli and Amin visited the area amid rising security concerns in Northeastern Kenya which have left scores injured or killed.
While confirming the incident, Marsabit County Commissioner James Kamau said that a South Korean male and his mother-in-law were taken from their home in the village of Odda on Monday around 9 p.m.
Deputy County Commissioner David Saruni while speaking to Reuters late on Tuesday said that the man’s mobile phone signal was last traced to the border with Ethiopia, adding that efforts to locate him have been futile since the phone has been switched off.
Marsabit Attacks
On the same evening when the two South Korean missionaries were abducted, eight Kenyans were shot dead in a separate incident at the Elle Dimtu area of Moyale, Marsabit county, according to leaders from the County.
Also Read: Several Feared Dead After Gunmen Attack & Burn Lorry
They said that the border attack involved several unknown assailants who stopped a vehicle that was transporting food items from Nairobi to Dukana.
According to them, the vehicle was carrying 10 passengers at the time of the attack with eight out of the ten aboard unfortunately shot dead and their bodies alongside the motor vehicle itself burnt.
“It is with profound shock and disappointments that we the leaders of Marsabit county bring to the fore insecurity incidences that has resulted to unabated and continuous killings, abductions and destructions of properties along the Kenya-Ethiopia border,” said the leaders
The arid borderlands between Kenya and Ethiopia are awash with weapons and suffer frequent raids by armed groups, and last year the government launched a security operation to disarm local bandits and bring calm and order to the region.
Interior Principal Secretary (PS) Raymond Omollo has since met the leaders to address the rising security concerns where they agreed on urgent actions.
PS Omollo in a statement on Wednesday said that the actions will require interventions by both the National and County Governments.
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