A prime suspect in a case where a man was trafficked from Mandera to Libya was, at the weekend moved to Nairobi for security reasons.
The suspect was flown from Mandera to Nairobi on Saturday, March 15 for further processing in an unfolding case of human trafficking to Libya.
He is believed to be the leader of a human trafficking gang from Somalia through Kenya and other major regional countries.
Police said he was flown to Nairobi for further questioning and investigations in the saga and for security reasons.
He had been presented for prosecution by officers from the Anti-Terrorist Police Unit (ATPU) based in Mandera for his involvement in the trafficking of Bilal Ali Noor, now 18, who vanished on February 21, 2021, under mysterious circumstances.
Upon his disappearance, his parents launched a desperate search for their son.
Their worst fears were confirmed when they discovered that Ali Noor is being held captive in Libya.
In a bid to secure his release, the family paid a ransom of Sh2,350,000 to two individuals based in Kismayu, Somalia, and in Mogadishu.
Despite their immense sacrifice, the parents' efforts proved futile, as their son remained in captivity.
On March 12, 2025, Ali Noor managed to contact his mother from a hospital in Tunis, Tunisia, investigations show.
He revealed that he had been shot in both legs and was receiving medical care. It was revealed 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 said hospital.
Investigations further established that the suspect played a pivotal role in facilitating Ali Noor's trafficking.
At the time the victim went missing, he was 14 years and a student at Mandera DEB Primary School.
Through meticulous forensic-led intelligence, ATPU detectives successfully trailed and apprehended the suspected human trafficker.
He was arraigned before the Mandera Law Court, where the prosecution secured a 21-day custodial order.
The case is set for mention on April 4, 2025. Police are concerned with the cases of human trafficking targeting unsuspecting youth from Somalia and parts of northern Kenya.
After arriving in Libya, the victims are subjected to torture and other forms of acts as those hosting them demand ransom.
There has been a campaign to stop the menace. The trafficking gang is said to have changed their route to Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Chad, CAR and Libya.
This is after the Sudan route was disrupted by the fighting between the military and rebels. Tens of youth are trapped in Libya after they were trafficked there by gangs, which are now demanding ransom for their release.
Some of the traffickers have since been nabbed in an ongoing investigation, police say.
