A family in Nairobi’s Kabiria estate is appealing for help to locate their 20-year-old daughter, a University of Nairobi student who vanished after visiting her boyfriend in Kikuyu, Kiambu County.
The missing student, identified as Jane Atila, is a second-year Bachelor of Education student at the University of Nairobi’s Kikuyu Campus. According to her guardian, she left her campus residence on October 3rd to meet her boyfriend nearby but never returned. Her phone went off around 7 p.m., and she has not been seen or heard from since.
Three weeks later, the family remains in anguish as their search continues to yield no results. They reported her disappearance at Kikuyu Police Station after several days of frantic searching. Shortly afterward, the family began receiving strange phone calls from individuals claiming to know Jane’s whereabouts.
One caller alleged that Jane was being held in Kilgoris and demanded money for her release. Another person, who posed as a senior police officer, told the family that Jane had been rescued. However, this later turned out to be a hoax. Acting on the false lead, her family travelled to Kilgoris, only to return heartbroken after failing to find any trace of her.
Detectives are now investigating the origin of the suspicious phone calls and analyzing several numbers linked to the alleged kidnappers. Forensic experts are also examining call records and digital footprints to help trace the individuals behind the extortion attempts.
Neighbours in Kikuyu claim that Jane was last seen at her boyfriend’s house on the day she disappeared. According to reports, the two had a heated argument before she went missing. The boyfriend has since vacated the area and switched off his phones, raising further suspicion about his involvement.
The case has left both family and friends in distress as they appeal to the public for any information that could help locate the missing student. Police say investigations are ongoing and have urged anyone with credible information to report to the nearest station.
As days turn into weeks, the whereabouts of the young student remain a mystery, with her loved ones holding on to hope that she will be found safe and alive.
