After a month of painstaking searching of 5-year-old Alvin Kwera who was abducted on 7th October 2018, family and friends could not hide their joy after the boy was rescued alive yesterday.
The boy had allegedly been taken by an unidentified middle aged man and taken to a hideout in Runda Estate.
Kwera had been abducted alongside 6-year-old Liam Makumi after leaving Sunday school lessons in a nearby church.
Kiambu County police commander Mr Adiel Nyagi Nyange confirmed that a team of flying squad officers from Nairobi teamed up with their Thika counterparts and using newly acquired tracing machineries, their heightened training and with technology, they were able to rescue the boy from the hands of the inhuman middle aged abductor.
Nyange said that the kidnapper was gunned down after putting a spirited fight using a sharp welding machete which he used to cut a firearm as he lunged to injure one of the officers in the raid.
The senior officer appealed Kiambu residents to embrace the spirit of Nyumba Kumi initiatives and ensure they fully know those neighboring them.
He also cautioned landlords against renting houses to people before receiving their requisite documents to ease the tracing of criminals who hide inside rentals warning other abductors that they will be accorded a similar dosage.
Back at home, emotions ran high as parents, family, friends and neighbours welcomed the boy.
Emmanuel Kwera, the father explained how he was called by police officers to go and confirm whether the rescued boy was his.
He said that the abductors had been threatening to butcher his son and dump his head at the gate of their house if they fail to comply. The kidnappers were demanding a ransom of Sh 526,000 failure to which they would kill the boy.
He said that they have been sending the kidnappers upkeep money to feed their children after threats that he would be left to wallow in hunger and die.
He awe-inspiringly thanked officers who conducted the raid saying they saved the life of his only boy.
Grace Wanjiru, the mother said that “Am very happy today to have seen my boy back with me alive, happy and healthy. We have been waiting for such a day in anxiety just to have a feel of the reunion; we are very happy, unexplainable happiness.”
She said that the journey of fighting to have Kwera back has been painstaking recalling the relationship she had with her only boy.
She thanked security agencies led by Flying Squad officers from Nairobi for teaming up with their Thika counterparts to rescue the innocent baby.
Hannah Muthoni, grandmother to the boy who had been abducted together with Kwera explained that they have been having sleepless nights praying and making door to door searches.
She urged parents to be extra cautious, watch over their children especially during the long December holiday saying that abductors who were on the loose were up for money and can do anything to pursue their unfeeling missions.
Thika has in the recent past been experiencing high-tech abduction cases where innocent children fade away from their parent’s presence anyhow.