The family of Nairobi lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi has turned to the High Court to compel security agencies to produce him in court following his alleged abduction on October 31, 2026. Abdi's brother, Zakaria Abshir, filed an affidavit detailing the events surrounding the disappearance. He alleges that armed individuals believed to be security officers abducted Abdi along Muchai Road, off Ngong Road, in Nairobi.
Abdi, who practices law at Abshir & Njagi Advocates in Kilimani, last spoke with his brother on the evening of October 31. Zakaria noted that Abdi planned to attend a friend's wedding in Kilimani that night. By the following morning, both of Abdi's mobile phones had switched off, raising immediate alarm among his family members. The family immediately reported Abdi missing at the Kilimani Police Station.
On November 1, an officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) based at Kilimani Police Station contacted the family. The officer reported that authorities had found Abdi's vehicle, registration number KDL 356C, abandoned along Muchai Road near the Association of Kenya Insurers offices. Court documents note that the vehicle showed visible scratches and dents.
Witness accounts from members of the public describe a high-speed interception along Muchai Road. Witnesses reported seeing a white vehicle pursued by a black Toyota Prado TX and a black double-cab pickup. According to those accounts, occupants of the pursuing vehicles wore tactical uniforms and bulletproof vests and carried firearms openly.
The family has linked Abdi's disappearance to an ongoing criminal case at the Makadara Law Courts, where Abdi serves as a prosecution witness. The affidavit states that the case, MCCR/E2910/2025, Republic versus Ahmed Ali Mohamed, previously triggered direct threats against both Abdi and the complainant.
This is not the first time security agencies have targeted the attorney, according to the court filings. Officers allegedly attached to the Counter Terrorism Bureau, the NIS, and the Directorate of Military Intelligence previously arrested Abdi on October 9, 2025. The affidavit notes that officers released him unconditionally after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to approve an application for custodial orders.
The applicants are now urging the High Court to grant conservatory orders barring the respondents from arresting, detaining, or continuing to hold Abdi without explicit judicial permission. The family further requests his immediate, unconditional release should authorities produce him in court.
Key points
- The family of Abshir Abdi has filed a habeas corpus application at the High Court, demanding that security agencies produce him within 24 hours.
- Abdi's disappearance is linked to an ongoing criminal case at the Makadara Law Courts, where he serves as a prosecution witness.
- This is not the first time security agencies have targeted Abdi, who was previously arrested on October 9, 2025.
