Foiled abduction: Four armed men target Standard Group's Associate Editor

The Standard Group PLC headquarters on Mombasa Road. [File, Standard]

Four armed men in a Toyota Probox have this morning attempted to abduct Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich in Nakuru.

The attack comes days after President William Ruto criticised the media house's news coverage.

This is despite a statement by the Group warning it will hold the government to account should any harm befall any of its staff.

"The Standard Group PLC will hold the government fully accountable should any harm befall the media house, its journalists, management, directors, or its shareholders as a result of the president's remarks," Group CEO Chaacha Mwita said.

On Wednesday, President Ruto publicly attacked the integrity of The Standard Media Group on his official X account.

In a sharply-worded post in capital letters, he alleged that The Standard had embarked on a five-day campaign of headlines aimed at discrediting his Kenya Kwanza administration.

“GMoi, your STANDARD media’s 5 days a week EXTORTIONIST propaganda HEADLINES on me & my administration’s transformative track record will get you NOTHING & NOWHERE. BLACKMAIL to yield to your GREED? NEVER. Kenya belongs to all Kenyans, not you alone. Jaribu 8 days a week. Do your WORST,” Ruto wrote.

In a rebuttal, the Standard Group said it would neither be silenced nor reduced to a propaganda outlet.

This is a developing story and is being updated...