Ruto Issues Orders To Police Over 5 Chiefs Kidnapped By Al Shabaab
The Head of State revealed that he had explained the matter to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, directing him to do everything possible to ensure that those chiefs return home.
Marvin Chege 
President William Ruto has responded to an incident where five chiefs were on Monday, February 3 abducted by suspected members of the outlawed Al Shabaab terror group in Elwak, Mandera County.
Ruto, who spoke on Tuesday, February 4 at Moi Stadium in Mandera County, demanded the release of the five chiefs, calling out members of the terror group for resorting to scare tactics owing to the Kenyan government's hard stance in the war on terror.
The Head of State revealed that he had explained the matter to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, directing him to do everything possible to ensure that those chiefs return home.
Photo of soldiers around Mandera. /STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
"Security is very important. The security of our country is very important. We are fighting against hooligans, crooks and criminals, alongside terrorists. Because we have given the terrorists a hard time, yesterday, because of wanting to strike fear in this area, they went and kidnapped our chiefs," he addressed.
"I want to promise the people of Mandera that those chiefs should come back home and those crooks and terrorists and hooligans, we will deal with them. I have come with the Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr Masengeli and I have explained to him that up and down, left and right, front and back, east or west, until this matter is dealt with."
A tough-talking Head of State remarked that his government has made it very difficult for the Al Shabaab to carry out terror attacks in the Republic as has been the case over the years, vowing that his administration will deal with the terrorists with finality.
Ruto also claimed that the abduction of the chiefs was meant to scare him away from his visit to Mandera County.
"We have significantly downgraded the ability of the Al Shabaab to unleash violence on the people of northern Kenya and we will not stop at anything until we make sure that northern Kenya is safe like any other part of the Republic of Kenya.
"Those stupid people had thought that if they did what they did yesterday, I wouldn't come here. They are stupid to the point of being crazy. It's not that I've come to Mandera, I came to Mandera and I'll sleep in Mandera...and if it exceeds, I can sleep here again," he added.
The head of state further emphasized that every region of Kenya is significant, and he will not allow any area of Kenya to be hit by terrorist attacks.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that every part of Kenya is important and we are not going to cede an inch of our country to criminals and those who want to unleash mayhem in our Republic,” the Head of State emphasized.
Ruto's remarks came a day after the chiefs were kidnapped while heading towards Elwak. They were hijacked between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki. A joint security team was deployed to pursue the abductors.
The officials were reportedly scheduled to meet to organise security plans for President Ruto’s upcoming visit to the region.
The suspects were thought to have escaped alongside the officials toward Somalia. In response to the incident, a multi-agency operation was initiated.
The chiefs were from the administrative units of Wargadud East, Qurahmudow, and Chachabole and were aboard a vehicle at the time of the incident.
Kenya's security multi-agency teams operating under the Special Operations Group (SOG) quick response unit encountered an IED attack while responding to the incident. This led to delays in the rescue efforts to help bring the five chiefs home, with the insurgents making away with the administrators.
