Missing persons cases linked to human trafficking in Northern Kenya - Interior CS Murkomen
Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the individuals are affiliated with recruiting agencies or an organised group.
Preliminary findings of some of the reported cases of missing persons in Northern Kenya indicate that certain individuals are involved in human trafficking, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen told parliament on Tuesday.
"Investigations are ongoing to determine whether these individuals are affiliated with recruiting agencies or an organised group," he said.
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He was speaking while responding to a question by the Member of Parliament for Tarbaj Constituency, Hussein Barre, who had requested a statement regarding the rampant cases of human trafficking in Northern Kenya.
The MP particularly sought to be issued with a comprehensive report on the investigations into human trafficking in Northern Kenya and the country, including investigations into the operations of involved recruitment agencies, measures being taken to ensure that the families and individuals who suffer these atrocities get justice and rehabilitation.
He also sought to know the long-term measures being implemented to address cases of human trafficking in the country and formalise labour exports.
"According to reports on missing persons, the police have confirmed several cases of human trafficking, where individuals lure youth with promises of a better future abroad," said the CS.
Some of the cases linked with human trafficking include the recent disappearance of 19-year-old Halima Hassan Sheikh, a resident of Bulla Mpya on December 29 last year.
The young woman was reported to have left home for the Mandera town market to purchase a pair of shoes, but did not return.
"Efforts to reach her via phone were unsuccessful, DCI officers launched investigations and established that she had crossed the border into Ethiopia via Suftu. Through collaboration with officers from Ethiopia, she was intercepted on January 6, 2025, in the Gothe Region while en route to Addis Ababa," the CS narrated.
Following her arrest, she revealed that she had been befriended by a man on Facebook who had promised to take her to Germany, and he had planned to meet her in Addis Ababa. The victim has since been reunited with her family.
In yet another incident, Murkomen said Abdirahman Noor Ahmed, a resident of Bulla Kamor, reported that his 17-year-old son, Zacharia Abdirahman, a form two student at Kamor Mixed Secondary School, went missing on November 18 last year.
"Before his disappearance, he had informed his brother, indicating his intention to travel to Libya through Ethiopia in pursuit of a better life. Efforts to locate him are ongoing in collaboration with Ethiopian authorities and the Kenyan KDF Liaison Officer in Ethiopia," the CS revealed.
Not reported
Still in the same county, he said one Bilal Ali Noor Mohamed went missing on February 21, 2021, but the matter was never reported to the police.
"His family later discovered that he was being held captive in Libya, where kidnappers demanded a ransom of Sh2,350,000. His parents, Hussein Ibrahim Mohamed and Rahma Issack Hassan, made the payment through Dahabshiil money transfer at 7th Street, Eastleigh, Nairobi. The money was sent to Siyad Noor Mohamed in Kismayu, Somalia, and Hinda Ibrahim Mohamud in Mogadishu," said the CS.
The case remained unreported until March 12 this year, when Bilal contacted his mother from an undisclosed hospital in Tunis, Tunisia, claiming that he had been shot in both legs.
"He revealed that after being abducted to Libya, he managed to escape in November 2023 alongside other captives, including two Kenyans from Mandera who are now caring for him in the hospital. He also identified Bilal Shukri Ahmed, a 31-year-old Kenyan, as the person who facilitated his movement," the CS said.
The case was then handed over to the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) Mandera detachment for further investigations.
As to the measures being taken to ensure that the families and individuals who suffer these atrocities get justice and rehabilitation, Murkomen said the government has upped efforts to prioritise the well-being of victims, including offering immediate rescue operations, legal aid, and psychosocial support to help them recover from their experiences.
Increased collaboration between law enforcement and humanitarian agencies to facilitate the reintegration of rescued victims, ensuring they receive the necessary support to rebuild their lives.
He added that the country is formalising labour exports from the country through the strict enforcement of labour migration regulations.
There's also enhanced border surveillance along Kenya's northern borders to curb illegal migration and trafficking activities.
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