Kilifi County residents were thrown into a state of panic in the wee hours of Sunday morning, August 16, after unidentified gunmen raided a madrasa institution in Mtondia are of the county, snatching thre Muslim clerics, and disappearing into the darkness from whence they came.
Sheikh Khalid Swaleh, popularly known as Sheikh Kaka, Ustadh Juma Shamte and the madrasa’s caretaker only identified as Hassan were the three men who were abducted following the 1 a.m. assault.
“Markaz Noor Mtondia has been raided tonight at around 1a.m. by people suspected to be anti-terror police. After a lot of searching and harassment they took Sheikh Khalid Kaka away. Let’s make dua (prayer) for him and also spread the word to family and friends,” Sheikh Abu Hamza, a Mombasa cleric, shared on Facebook.
According to witness reports, the gunmen are believed to be from the dreaded Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU), however, evidence to corroborate the allegations was not available.
Lawyer Khalid Salim and Muslim for Human Rights Rapid Response Officer Francis Auma, filed a report (OB Number 13/16/8/2020) at the Central Police Station in Mombasa.
The two teamed in a bid to try and track down the whereabouts of the clerics across various police stations without any success.
Comparisons were immediately drawn between the latest incident and events that led to the death of Abubakar Shariff Ahmed alias Makaburi in 2014.
Speaking to the BBC in 2013, the Muslim preacher announced that he was aware that the police were looking for him and planned to assassinate him.
"I know they are going to kill me. But I am a true Muslim. I believe I will only die the day Allah has ordained for me to die. Not a moment before, not a moment after," he stated.
A few months later (April 1), he was gunned down in broad daylight when an unmarked car drove by as Makaburi was leaving a courthouse and gunshot sounds filled the air.
The National Police Service (NPS) has categorically denied any involvement in his killing or any other extra-judicial killings that have been highlighted by various human rights organisations.
Barely 3 days ago, Abubakar Kalama, was whisked away from his home in Mtongwe, Likoni Sub-County in Mombasa.
Eyewitnesses claimed the cleric was accosted by men suspected to be from the NPS and a white man who is said to have been in charge as they rummaged through his belongings in search of a phone.
Kalama's whereabouts are yet to be known since the raid.
