Garissa family demands justice over missing relative
More than a year later, they claim security officers have been evasive and uncooperative, providing no meaningful response regarding Abdinasir's whereabouts or well-being.
A family in Garissa is demanding justice and answers over the disappearance of their relative, Abdinasir Khalif, who has been missing since June 30, 2024.
According to the family, Abdinasir was allegedly abducted by suspected National Police Reservists in Hagadera, Fafi Sub-County.
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More than a year later, they claim security officers have been evasive and uncooperative, providing no meaningful response regarding Abdinasir's whereabouts or well-being.
Speaking during a peaceful demonstration in Garissa town, Abdinasir's sister, Amina Khalif, said her brother was taken while in the company of two friends after attending a wedding.
“Immediately after learning of his disappearance, we began a search. Our first stop was Welmerer Police Station, but officers there denied having detained him,” she said.
Amina Khalif explains the pain the family are undergoing over missing brother during the protest in Garissa town. (Issa Hussein)
Amina expressed the family's growing concern over the prolonged silence from authorities.
“As a family, we are deeply worried about his continued disappearance. What is most troubling is the lack of communication from the security agencies,” she added.
Her brother, Yussuf Khalif, echoed her sentiments, saying repeated attempts to get answers from relevant authorities have yielded nothing.
“Our appeals to the police and other security organs remain unanswered, leaving us in anguish and uncertainty. No citizen should disappear without a trace, and no family should suffer such silence from those meant to protect us,” he said.
The family has also questioned why Abdinasir's vehicle is reportedly being used by security officers in Hagadera while his mobile phone remains switched off to date.
They are now calling on oversight bodies, including the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), to urgently investigate the case and help deliver justice.
ODM-nominated MP Umulkheir Harun, speaking separately, condemned the continued incidents of enforced disappearances despite government assurances that the practice would end.
“We continue to demand an end to enforced disappearances. Every Kenyan has a constitutional right to due process, dignity, and protection from arbitrary detention. Such actions undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in our security institutions,” she stated.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Garissa County Police Commander, Amos Ambassa, were unsuccessful.
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