IG Kanja denies police role in abduction of Standard Group editor Alex Kiprotich, orders probe

The National Police Service (NPS) has denied being behind the abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich, saying it has launched investigations to establish the identity of the armed men who seized him along the Gilgil–Nakuru Road.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja had directed the Anti-Abduction Unit to immediately investigate the incident, including the identity of the heavily armed individuals seen ordering occupants out of Kiprotich’s vehicle.

“The NPS treats kidnapping and abduction with the utmost seriousness, as these grave offences threaten the lives, liberty and security of Kenyans,” Nyaga said.

Nyaga said the service “unequivocally condemns” kidnapping, abduction and intimidation intended to interfere with press freedom or any other constitutional right, and pledged that those responsible would be brought to justice.

“Our Anti-Abduction Unit, specifically established to address abductions and disappearances, is actively investigating and will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” he said.

The NPS spokesperson further assured the public that the investigation would be transparent, stressing that no one was above the law.

The statement comes hours after Kiprotich was found safe near Masinga Dam, about nine hours after he was allegedly abducted by armed men along the Gilgil–Nakuru Road.

According to the Standard Group, Kiprotich told colleagues that four masked men armed with AK-47 rifles forced him from his vehicle and drove him away in a Subaru bearing registration KDG 125E.

The media house said the vehicle appeared to be a government vehicle and was fitted with a siren. Kiprotich also reportedly told colleagues that his captors interrogated him about the Standard Group’s sources and how headlines are determined.

Standard Group Chief Executive Officer Chaacha Mwita said the company held the State responsible for Kiprotich’s safety, citing a previous attempt to abduct the journalist on June 27, 2026.

During that earlier incident, armed men travelling in a Toyota Probox allegedly attempted to seize Kiprotich as he drove to work in Nakuru.

The latest abduction has therefore raised questions over whether the two incidents are connected.

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has called for an immediate and transparent investigation, noting that Kiprotich had been subjected to a similar ordeal in June and that no one had been arrested over the earlier incident.

The Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) has likewise demanded an independent investigation into both incidents, including the reported link between the vehicle used in June and the NPS intelligence unit.