The location of activist and social media influencer Scophine Aoko Otieno, known as Maverick Aoko, has been brought to light amid growing concerns for her safety.
According to a tweet from her aide, Aoko may have gone into hiding after posting about a significant government figure referred to only as “F.”
Her family remains in the dark about her situation and feels unable to report her missing to the authorities, citing previous threats made against her.
“After her tweet regarding Mr. ‘F,’ she went off the grid, which we thought was just a strategy to mislead potential threats. We still don’t know where she is.
Who do we turn to? The same police who warned her lawyers, ‘we are coming for her,’” her aide tweeted.
The family is currently praying for Aoko’s safety, whether she is in hiding or has been taken against her will.
“If she has been abducted, we urge the authorities to reveal her whereabouts.
If she is hiding, we hope she is safe and can contact us to ease our minds,” they stated.
According to her aide, Aoko returned to her rural home after being released from prison and only traveled to Nairobi for court appearances.
“Hi, this is Aoko’s aide tweeting with her father’s permission.
After her arrest, she chose to stay with family and only visited Nairobi for meetings and court dates,” the tweet explained.
The aide also disclosed that Aoko’s home in Nairobi was broken into two weeks prior, but she chose not to report it to avoid drawing attention to her presence in the city.
“Two weeks ago, upon returning to Nairobi, she found her door badly damaged.
She was understandably panicked, but I advised her to document it and leave quietly,” the aide recounted.
Maverick Aoko has been missing for five days, prompting outcry from activists and concerned citizens alike.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino confirmed her disappearance, stating he had reached out to her family and friends, all of whom are equally unaware of her location.
“Aoko has been missing for days, and no one knows her whereabouts!” he said.
Some social media users have criticized the judicial system for its inaction regarding Aoko’s situation.
Francis Gaitho expressed frustration in a tweet, questioning the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) for not addressing the alarms raised about her disappearance.
“Aoko has been missing for four days now, and LSK hasn’t done anything to help locate her.
It’s disappointing how civil society and the media selectively engage with such issues,” he wrote.
