Five chiefs who were kidnapped two months ago by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Elwak, Mandera County have been released, the government has confirmed.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday, 7th April 2025, announced the development, describing it as “very good news” and a result of collaborative efforts involving national and county governments, security agencies, and local communities.
“This is very good news based on the collaborative efforts that I announced before. As the government, we decided to work together with the county government of Mandera and the local community, and this process has borne fruit,” Murkomen said while speaking in Mombasa.
The five chiefs are now in the custody of Kenyan officials and are expected to be reunited with their families soon.
The administrators were abducted in February while traveling to Elwak from Wargadud. According to Mandera South Police Commander Julius Njeru, they were ambushed by suspected militants between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki.
The incident occurred just days before President William Ruto was scheduled to visit the northern region. In his address on 4th February, President Ruto condemned the abduction as a cowardly act by terrorists aimed at instilling fear in the region. He assured residents that the government would do everything possible to secure the chiefs’ release.
“I want to promise the people of Mandera that the abducted chiefs will be brought back home. We will spare no effort in dealing with these criminal elements,” the president said at the time.
To enhance security in the region, the President directed the National Police Service to launch a targeted operation to dismantle terrorist networks operating along the Kenya–Somalia border.
Mandera remains one of Kenya’s most volatile regions due to its proximity to Somalia, where the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group continues to pose a threat through cross-border incursions and attacks on security personnel and civilians.