Maina Njenga's 23 hours in captivity in the hands of armed, hooded men

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga speaks out after dramatic abduction and release. [Joseph Kipsang, Standard]

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga says he has been released after being abducted by police officers on Saturday night.

He was interrogated for over 12 hours before being dropped off in Limuru on Sunday at 10:15pm.

Njenga, who is now a free man, spoke to The Standard on the phone after his release.

He said he was driving to Nairobi from Banana, Kiambu, with his aide when they were pulled out of their car by hooded and armed men.

He later learned that they were police officers when he saw one of them with police communication equipment.

 “They took my mobile phone and drove us at a high speed. I did not know where we were going until one of them told me we were in Naivasha,” said Njenga.

 “I was scared and knew this was my last day on Earth. But they (abductors) were good people. They did not harm us.”

He said he was locked inside an iron-sheet house where he was interrogated about his involvement with key opposition leaders, among them former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The interrogation continued for the better part of Sunday.

“At around 8pm, they put us in the trunk of a Subaru and drove us to Limuru town. They ordered us out of the vehicle and left,” said Njenga.

He said he suspected that the abduction was meant to make him miss his court session on Monday, where he is facing a pending criminal matter at a Makadara court.

He said he was happy that he was alive and sought help from a friend in Kiambu to reach his family.