Families in Mombasa are now living in fear after an increase in armed abduction of people from their homes in the coastal city.
In the past week, three people have been confirmed missing after being kidnapped with some disappearing for more than five months.
Over 30 cases of the mysterious disappearance of individuals were recorded in 2020 in Mombasa.
In one instance, a man, Omar Seif Abdalla, was taken from his family in December 2020 by gunmen and according to an eye witness, they fired shots multiple times before they whisked him away.
"I saw the people were wearing black uniforms. I was shocked why those people, who were many, had come to our place. I hugged my children. Five minutes later, they started banging on the door while shouting out names," she narrated to Citizen TV.
When she opened the door, she was ordered to lie on the floor alongside the six children who were in the house at the time.
"I was told to lie down. As I was talking, I heard a loud bang and begged them to allow me take the children out. I took the two children out," she added.
The family is now asking the state to locate the kidnapped family members who were taken away shortly after the commotion.
The witness further noted that the gang attacked her home during curfew hours and when she tried to inquire why, she was brushed off.
In a separate incident, David Taituni has been missing for over five months since his abductors were recorded on CCTV camera bundling him into a car.
He was taken away just a few meters from the Regional Police Headquarters in Mombasa.
"I was told that no one knows where he is. I was shocked that he was abducted just next to a Police Station," said a relative.
Mombasa police, however, denied taking part in the mysterious disappearances but did not disclose any findings over the missing persons.
