Authorities have confirmed that five chiefs who were abducted in early February in Elwak Town, Mandera County, have been released after nearly two months in captivity. However, the chiefs remain in Somalia, where they had been held by suspected al-Shabaab militants.
The released chiefs—Mohamed Adawa, Mohamed Hassan, Abdi Hassan, Mohamed Noor Hache, and Assistant Chief Ibrahim Gabow—were kidnapped by unidentified individuals while en route to a planning meeting with the Elwak Deputy County Commissioner ahead of President William Ruto’s scheduled visit to the region.
Local elders, who had been in consistent communication with the captors throughout the detention period, are said to have played a key role in negotiating the chiefs’ release.
While the circumstances surrounding their release remain murky, it is still unclear whether a ransom was paid. Initial reports indicated that the captors had issued demands, including a possible ransom, though no official confirmation has been provided.
Security agencies and local authorities are reportedly working on a safe return plan for the chiefs, who are currently in Somalia but believed to be in stable condition.
