Hussein Dado vows to join hunt for gang that kidnapped Italian student

Former Tana River Governor Hussein Dado on Sunday issued the pastoral community a five-day ultimatum to find the abducted Italian volunteer Silvia Romano.

The 23-year-old Italian student volunteer was abducted on November 20, 2018, by people who also wounded five locals during the attack in Chakama in Kilifi County.

Mr Dado, who is now the Devolution ministry’s chief administrative secretary (CAS) said he might be forced to join in the hunt for the abductors in the forest if she is not found by Saturday.

Speaking during Maulid celebrations at Oda in Garsen attended by hundreds of Muslim faithful, Mr Dhado condemned the attack and abduction, saying it is against the Islamic faith and teachings.

“The incident does not represent or conform to Islamic faith and I urge you to give information to police that could lead to arrest of culprits and recovery of the volunteer,” he said.

However, Mr Dado has urged the police to stop associating the abductors with a particular tribe and religion, warning that kidnappers are criminals who need to be punished according to the law.

“For about two weeks, the bandits are still living in the forest with the lady and it is absurd that she is hidden within our land. Kenya is our country and we shall do whatever it takes to flush them out,” he said.

Following the kidnapping 14 people were arrested but police later narrowed the suspects down to three. Two of them, Mr Duma Haji Osman and Mr Hassan Borrow Khamis, were arrested in a forest in Asa Kone, Tana River County while allegedly trying to supply food to the abductors.

The third suspect, Ms Rukia Nuno,  who is the wife of Mr Said Adan Abdi — one of the three key suspects in the abduction with a Sh1 million bounty on his head — was arrested in Tarasaa village in Garsen, Tana River County.