NPS refutes claims of Buke’s Abduction, says he is in custody » Capital News

NAIROBI,Kenya,Feb 7—The National Police Service (NPS) has dismissed claims that Sadam Buke, a resident of Isiolo County, was abducted, clarifying that he is in lawful custody.

Police Spokesperson Michael Muchiri clarified that Buke was apprehended as part of the ongoing security crackdown, Operation Ondoa Jangili, which is targeting criminal elements in Marsabit and Isiolo counties.

The NPS claimed that Buke is a key facilitator and coordinator of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in the region.

“The attention of the National Police Service has been drawn to information circulating on social media alleging that one Sadam Buke from Isiolo County has been abducted. We wish to clarify that Sadam Buke is in lawful custody alongside others,” Muchiri said Friday.

Muchiri added that Buke and other arrested individuals are expected to be arraigned in court.

He also assured the public that law enforcement agencies remain committed to upholding constitutional standards on human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The police statement comes after activists and a a section of Kenyans alleged that Buke was abducted by unknown people outside Royal Acacia Hotel in Meru and forced into a vehicle before being driven to an unknown destination.

However, Police maintain that his arrest was conducted lawfully.

The NPS has accused the OLA militia of exploiting close family and cultural ties between the Borana community in Kenya and the Oromo people in Ethiopia to infiltrate and hide among local populations, allowing them to continue committing atrocities.

On February 3, the NPS officially launched Operation Ondoa Jangili, a special security operation aimed at flushing out OLA hideouts in Marsabit and Isiolo counties