GARISSA, Kenya, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's security agencies have intensified massive joint operation backed by military helicopters in northeastern county of Garissa to rescue the teacher who was spotted near the border with Somalia on Thursday.
The teacher Judy Mutua working with a non-governmental organization Windle Trust was kidnapped by suspected Al-Shabaab militants at the sprawling Hagadera refugee camp. She was spotted in Kulan area of Libio on Wednesday.
Acting Deputy Inspector General of Police Joel Kitili confirmed on Friday security agents are using all available resources and means to ensure that Mutua is rescued dead or alive.
"The local community in and around Dadaab refugee complex are ready to assist security officers to rescue the lady even across the borders," he said.
Kitili who he presided over the graduation of 29 police officers trained on combating terrorism, said the local community have been very cooperative in providing information that is assisting the police to truck down the abductors.
Mutua was working with Windle trust an NGO based in Dadaab and was supposed to invigilate this year's school examinations in the area.
Kitili assured workers, members of the public in and around Dadaab that security agents are on high alert adding that police are also investigating the possibility that the Al-Shabaab terror group are changing tact.
Meanwhile a herder who allegedly spotted the militia on Thursday believed to be behind the abduction near Liboi has gone missing.
Abduwahid Abdiqadir was roughed up by the militia who realized he had spotted them warning him not report the matter to the police or they will kill him.
He however reported the matter to Kulan police station only for him to disappear. It's not clear whether the militiamen are responsible for his abduction.
Kenyan authorities have expressed fears that Al-Shabaab derives support from the refugee community, yet closing Dadaab in this manner would ultimately make Kenya less safe.
Kenyan authorities have also blamed the militants for being behind spates of kidnapping of expatriates working in the sprawling refugee camps in the incursion-prone northern region and tourists in the coastal archipelago towns of Mombasa and Lamu.
Analysts say refugee camps often do pose security challenges for host countries. Armed groups throughout the world have used them for recruits, shelter, and food, and it is likely Al-Shabaab does the same.
Kenya claims that the mastermind of the Garissa attack had a support network in Daddab, one of the world's largest refugee camp and the camp is also a trafficking hub for smuggled goods some of the proceeds of which directly fund Al-Shabaab.
