A British national, Necdet Seyitoğlu, has reported to the BBC that he and several Turkish citizens were abducted by masked men in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday. Seyitoğlu, who lived in the UK for 18 years before moving to Kenya two years ago, was released after eight hours when he showed his captors a digital copy of his British passport. However, four Turkish citizens remain missing.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed they are providing consular support to Seyitoğlu and his family following the incident. Kenyan police are currently investigating the kidnapping, with spokeswoman Resila Onyango describing how armed men intercepted two vehicles and abducted the occupants. A motorcycle driver reportedly witnessed the abduction, during which eight armed individuals pulled Seyitoğlu and another man from their car.
Seyitoğlu shared further details of his ordeal, which differ from the police account. He described being intercepted by a white SUV while leaving for work early in the morning, along with a friend. Both were blindfolded, handcuffed, and taken to an unknown location, receiving no explanation from their abductors.
Seyitoğlu, an education consultant, said he endured a terrifying experience, only securing his release after proving his British citizenship through his phone. Turkish authorities have yet to comment on the matter, while Kenyan police continue their investigation.
After taking a photo, the men received a call that sounded like it was an instruction to release him, he said. The masked men, who Mr Seyitoğlu said spoke Swahili, then dropped him off at a place he did not recognise and gave him Sh1,000 for transport back home, but refused to return his phone and laptop.
During this time, Mr Seyitoğlu said his wife reported him missing and informed the British High Commission. Mr Seyitoğlu said six other people he knew – all Turkish citizens—were also abducted in the same manner from different locations in Nairobi.
A local law firm, Mukele & Kakai, said in a statement that it was acting on behalf of four men who were registered refugees and warned airlines against allowing them to be brought on board.
“Our clients were abducted in Kenya with the aim of being deported back to Turkey, where they are victims of political victimisation,” the lawyers’ letter, seen by the BBC, said.
This was echoed by the campaign group Amnesty International, whose Kenya spokesman said he was “deeply concerned by reports that seven asylum seekers from Türkiye have been abducted on Kenyan soil.”.
The UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, told the BBC it was “aware of reports and will provide more information once we have it”.
