Eastleigh Kidnapping Mystery: Family seeks justice after Adan Osman abducted by armed men

A family in Eastleigh, Nairobi County is in distress after their kin was kidnapped by unknown armed men three weeks ago as he was walking home with a friend.

Adan Osman, a refugee from Somalia who works as a madrassa teacher in Eastleigh was picked up by armed men using a double cabin pick-up moments after leaving a hotel in the area.

The CCTV footage captured along Eastleigh, First Avenue on November 14th at 11 pm, captures a double cabin pickup on the move stopping next to the walkway. Two men, one wearing a religious cap talking on the phone and his friend are seen walking near the vehicle.

Suddenly two men, one armed with a firearm step out of the vehicle and grab the man who is on the phone. Their colleague who appears to have been following them strikes from behind and they push him inside the vehicle and drive off.

Shocked by the turn of events, the friend runs away in a different direction.

That was the last time 40-year-old Adan Osman, a refugee from Somalia and a madrassa teacher was seen.

“Wakati niliuliza huyu kijana ambaye walikuwa naye aliniambia kwamba walitoka kwa hoteli fulani inaitwa Tahariri pale wakiongea ndio hayo majamaa wakatokea na wakamweka ndani na wakakimbia na yeye,” Abdikadir Ruwes a relative said.

Efforts to trace his whereabouts have seen the family visit different police stations and courts with no end in sight. The family claim that the police have made little effort to help them.

“Tulienda mpaka Ruaraka Police Station tulienda kwa DCI tulikuja nao hadi hapo kwa CCTV wakaangalia tu na wakaenda hawakuchukua flashdisk so walisema watakuja kesho ilikuwa last week mpaka leo hakuna mtu amekuja kwa CCTV, tumeandikisha statements,” Fardosa Mahad another relative added.

“Huyu mwalimu he has children ambaye alichukua responsibility yao mama akikufa, baba akikufa vijana watatu baada ya hapo bibi yake mwenyewe alikufa akawacha watoto wawili this time naskia vibaya,” Lula Abdikarim another relative said.

The family believes those who took Adan away are security officers and have urged them to present him in court if he has broken any law, they say he is a law abiding man.

“Kulingana na mimi naona ni watu wa serikali walimchukua labda maaskari fulani walimchukua na hata siku moja sijaskia kama ameshikwa, amepelekwa police station hii ndio mara ya kwanza kabisa,” Ruwes noted.

Osman's abduction brings to four the cases of mysterious abduction and release by armed men. Four days before his abduction, former South C MCA and Nairobi Liason Officer Osman Khalif was abducted outside a mall in Westlands area by armed men who were using a similar car. He was released 10 days later.

Another case was that of businesswoman Ann Njoroge who is involved in a court case with government over an oil consignment worth over 17 billion shillings.

Ann was allegedly abducted after going to report the matter at DCI headquarters on November 9^th. She presented herself at Mombasa Law Courts six days and claimed to have been held hostage.

On August 25th, the chairman of Rai Group of Companies Jaswant Rai was abducted in a similar manner in broad daylight by armed men using a double cabin pick up and released two days later.

Authorities remain mum over the incidents despite the actions raising questions over the state of security in the country.