Wajir MCA Yussuf Hussein confirms he was detained with activist Bob Njagi and others

Wajir County Assembly Minority Leader Yussuf Hussein Tolfiyo, who went missing in Nairobi last September, has confirmed that he was abducted and detained in the same torture chamber as the three Kitengela activists.

According to his cousin Elyas Abdille, the Dela Ward MCA had been held in Nairobi for the first two months before being moved to an undisclosed location.

"He told us he was being held with many other people within Nairobi for the first two months but was moved to a place he didn't know. We are yet to establish who dropped him in Eastleigh last evening because he came into the house alone," Elyas told the Nation.

According to a family member who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity because he is not the family’s spokesperson, the MCA was held in a torture room next to where activist Bob Njagi, Jamil Longton and his brother Nadhif Longton were being held.

Heared Njagi screaming

"He only told us that he was held next to Bob Njagi. He was in a separate room but could hear Njagi screaming," the source disclosed.

This revelation corroborates earlier statements made by Njagi.

While appearing on Citizen TV’s JKLive on February 6, Njagi claimed that he heard an MCA being tortured in a nearby room.

“We may laugh about this matter sometimes, but I want to say here that the MCA for Wajir County, who was found murdered, was actually in the room next to where I was. I had the opportunity of peeping through the keyhole, and I saw him,” Njagi stated at the time.

Yussuf was abducted on September 13, 2024 along Enterprise Road in Nairobi’s Industrial Area.

Reports indicate that as he was being driven home in a taxi, gunmen intercepted the vehicle, forcefully removing him and bundling him into another car. From that night onward, frantic searches by his family and activists yielded no results, with authorities denying any knowledge of his whereabouts.

Abducted on same day

Njagi’s investigation into the man's identity led to the discovery that he was of Somali origin. Later, Njagi made the connection and discovered that the man had been abducted that same day along Enterprise Road.

"Through my own investigations, I found out that he was of Somali origin, and immediately after being released, I did my own search and realised that on the same day, Friday, September 13, there was a man that was abducted on Enterprise Road, and that is the same man who was brought to where we were," he explained.

In October 2024, a decomposed body bearing torture marks was retrieved from Lake Yahud in Wajir. Initial speculation suggested that the body belonged to Yussuf, causing shockwaves throughout Wajir County. However, two independent DNA tests later disproved this assumption, deepening the mystery of his fate.

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• Abductions
• Kitengela Three
• Bob Njagi
• Dela Ward
• wajir mca
• Yussuf Hussein Tolfiyo
• Wajir MCA Yussuf Hussein confirms he was detained with activist Bob Njagi and others
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On Saturday night, his captors, suspected to be state security agents, reportedly dropped him off at Pangani shopping centre around 9:30 pm. Before leaving, they handed him Sh5,000 for transport and instructed him not to look back.

His prolonged disappearance, which lasted 56 days longer than the Kitengela activists' ordeal, has sparked renewed outrage among family members and leaders.

Grateful for safe return

Eldas MP Adan Keynan, a relative of the MCA, expressed gratitude for his safe return but strongly condemned the abduction.

“We are grateful that our kin was found alive, but we demand answers. This kind of treatment is unacceptable and those responsible must be held accountable,” Keynan said.

Mandera Senator Ali Roba, leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), the party that sponsored Yussuf in the 2022 elections, voiced concerns over his deteriorated health condition, suggesting he had endured severe torture.

“The ones who dropped him back and the ones who picked him up from the streets six months ago are believed to be state agencies. If anybody is suspected of any wrongdoing, there is no harm in processing them in line with the rule of law and producing them in court,” Roba stated.

Immense relief

Wajir Governor and Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG), Ahmed Abdullahi, expressed immense relief at Yussuf’s return but called for justice.

“Alhamdulillah! I am happy to have received the good news of Hon. Yussuf Hussein’s safe return and reunion with his family after months of uncertainty. Since his disappearance in September last year, the people of Wajir have endured a painful period of anxiety, prayers and unwavering hope for his safe return,” Governor Ahmed tweeted.

“The news of his reunion brings immense relief and joy to our community. It is a moment of gratitude and renewed hope for his family and all those who stood by them during these difficult times. On behalf of the people of Wajir County, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who played a role in ensuring his safe return. May this moment mark the beginning of healing, peace, and renewed strength for him and his loved ones.”

Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Abdi Jehow echoed similar sentiments.

“No words but to say Alhamdullilah! Welcome home, our MCA Hon. Yussuf Tolfiyow,” she tweeted on Sunday.

The MCA’s release comes just days before the six-month statutory period since his disappearance, raising further questions about the timing and motives behind his abduction.

MP Adan Keynan hinted at possible revelations in the near future.

“I don’t know why the release was done four days to the six-month statutory period. Time will inform, and I am sure that in the next briefing, we will have critical information that will enlighten some of these issues further,” Adan remarked.