A British man and multiple Turkish nationals were reportedly abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, by masked assailants on Friday, with four of the Turkish individuals still missing.
The British citizen, Necdet Seyitoğlu, who had lived in the UK for 18 years before relocating to Kenya two years ago, was released after eight hours. He revealed that his captors let him go after he showed them a copy of his British passport.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed they are offering consular assistance to Seyitoğlu and his family following the incident. Kenyan authorities are investigating the abduction, with police stating that two vehicles ambushed a silver saloon car carrying two individuals. Armed men then forced the occupants out and drove off with them.
Seyitoğlu, who works as an education consultant, provided a detailed account of the ordeal, which slightly diverges from the official police report.
He described being stopped by a white SUV while en route to work with a friend, handcuffed, blindfolded, and driven to an unknown location by the armed men. Despite repeatedly asking for explanations or identification, none were given. Seyitoğlu was eventually released after convincing his captors of his British citizenship, but not before they confiscated his phone and laptop.
During this time, his wife had reported him missing and informed the British High Commission. Seyitoğlu also claimed that six other Turkish nationals he knew were abducted similarly across different locations in Nairobi.
A local law firm representing four of the Turkish nationals, all registered refugees, stated that the abductions appeared to be politically motivated, warning airlines not to deport the men to Turkey.
Amnesty International and the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, have expressed concern over the situation, with further details expected as investigations continue.
