How minor from Mandera was trafficked to Libya by his teacher

The suspect, Bilal Shukri Ahmed, was arraigned at Mandera Law Courts on Friday. (X/DCI)

By Mary Wambui
Friday, March 14, 2025

At the time of his disappearance, the victim was 14 years old and a student at Mandera DEB Primary School.

A primary school teacher from Mandera County is in custody for his involvement in the trafficking of a minor to Libya in 2021.

The suspect, Bilal Shukri Ahmed, was arraigned at Mandera Law Courts on Friday, where the prosecution secured a 21-day custodial order ahead of the case mention on April 4, 2025.

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According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the victim, who was under 18 years old, disappeared under mysterious circumstances on February 21, 2021, prompting his parents to launch a frantic search for their son.

At the time of his disappearance, the victim was 14 years old and a student at Mandera DEB Primary School.

“Their worst fears were confirmed when they discovered that Ali Noor was being held captive in Libya. In a bid to secure his release, the family paid a ransom of Sh2,350,000 to two individuals: Siyad Noor Mohamed in Kismayu, Somalia, and Hinda Ibrahim Mohamud in Mogadishu. Despite their immense sacrifice, their efforts proved futile, as their son remained in captivity,” the DCI stated.

On March 12, 2025, Ali Noor managed to contact his mother from a hospital in Tunis, Tunisia, revealing that he had been shot in both legs and was receiving medical care.

“It was established that Ali Noor had been trafficked to Libya before escaping in November 2023. He fled to Tunisia alongside other captives, including two fellow Kenyans from Mandera, who are currently caring for him in the hospital,” the DCI added.

Investigations by the DCI’s Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) further revealed that Bilal Shukri Ahmed played a pivotal role in facilitating Ali Noor’s trafficking.

Detectives from the unit successfully tracked and apprehended the suspect before presenting him before Mandera Law Courts.

Reports indicate that Mandera remains a key human trafficking transit point from Somalia to Kenya.

This vulnerability is attributed to insecurity along the Kenya-Somalia border, exacerbated by instability in Somalia.

Although the ATPU has yet to disclose the exact route used to traffic the minor to Libya, security personnel in Garissa reported investigating a surge in human trafficking cases in the neighbouring Garissa County towards the end of last year and early this year.

Authorities suspect a well-organised criminal syndicate targeting young people in junior and senior secondary schools as part of a trafficking network operating between Kenya and Libya, a trend that has caused growing concern among parents.

Some of the identified routes used for trafficking individuals from Kenya to Libya include: Nairobi–Busia–Kampala–South Sudan–Chad–Libya, Mombasa–Busia–Kampala–South Sudan–Chad–Libya,

Isiolo–Samburu–Turkana–South Sudan–Libya and Wajir–Ethiopia–Sudan–Libya