On March 4, 2025, in the Kamukunji area of Pumwani, Nairobi, 17-year-old Ibrahim Ramadhan (pictured) was shot in the head and killed by a police officer just meters from Umwami Riaz Mosque. The killing occurred without warning, provocation, or any legal justification. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the officers did not question him prior to executing the fatal shot.
Ibrahim had recently learned of and believed in the Qa’im, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq, through his older brother, Salhina Said Athumani Kamau, a member of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.
This brutal and unlawful killing sparked protests from the local community, which were met with violent repression by police forces. Several protesters were injured by live bullets. Subsequent events point to a pattern of targeted harassment and intimidation against members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.
Unlawful killing of Ibrahim Ramadhan
On the night of March 4, 2025, 17-year-old Ibrahim Ramadhan was speaking with his friends at Umwami Riaz Mosque in Kamukunji, Nairobi, about the teachings of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. In the days leading up to his death, Ibrahim had been regularly sharing what he had learned about the appearance of the Qa’im, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq, and expressing his growing belief in the message.
Shortly after leaving the mosque that evening, and just a few meters away from its entrance, Ibrahim was stopped by police officers. Without warning or provocation, one officer drew his weapon and shot Ibrahim in the head. He was taken to the Kenyatta National and Referral Hospital and succumbed to his wounds later that night. Witnesses confirmed that no questions were asked and no confrontation took place prior to the shooting. The execution-style killing of Ibrahim appears to have been directly related to his open expression of faith and his peaceful efforts to share the message of Aba Al-Sadiq Abdullah Hashem.
The following slides display the birth and death certificates of Ibrahim Ramadan:
The aftermath of his shooting was captured in a chilling video.
Video showing the shooting of Ibrahim Ramadan
On 5 March 2025, community members gathered in protest of Ibrahim’s killing. Demonstrators were met with excessive force from law enforcement, who fired tear gas and live ammunition. The protests sparked interest and outrage in the national Kenyan media.
At least five individuals were seriously injured and transported to Kenyatta National Hospital. Salhina Said personally visited the injured and documented the events. Among those injured during the March 5 protests were Hamza Shaban, 24, resident of Mashimoni, was shot nine times in the left shoulder. And Duncan Kiprotich, 31, resident of Majengo, sustained a gunshot wound to the hip.
According to a member of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Kenya, who is not directly involved in the case and requested to remain anonymous for safety reasons, and who had gone to meet Salhina Said after the death of his brother, the area had experienced no prior police shootings or political protests in 2024 or early 2025. The demonstrations were directly and solely in response to the murder of Ibrahim Ramadhan.
As a result of the public outrage the Independent Policing Oversight Authority launched an investigation into the misconduct of the Nairobi police officers.
Salhina Said has stated that his brother had attended the mosque on the evening of March 4 to speak about his belief in Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq, whom he had recently accepted as the Qa’im. However, this critical detail has been entirely absent from media reports surrounding Ibrahim’s death. Salhina expressed concern that the omission is not accidental but rather a deliberate effort to obscure the religious dimension of the incident. He further reported that he has refrained from publicly talking about this information sooner due to fear for his safety, citing ongoing threats and targeted intimidation by Kenyan police authorities.
Targeted harassment of Salhina Said
Following the protest, Salhina began receiving threats. On March 10–11, 2025, he was approached by an unidentified man who warned him not to pursue justice for his brother. On March 20, 2025, Salhina was lured into a trap under the pretext of a paid job. Upon arriving at the location, he was ambushed by two plainclothes police officers and forced into a vehicle. He was taken to California Police Station, where he was interrogated for ten hours.
During interrogation, officers questioned him about his religious beliefs, specifically his allegiance to the Qa’im, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq, and accused him of recruiting youth into extremism.
“They came and took me and told me to get into the car, and they were armed. They took me to the nearest police station, and they started interrogating me. I told them the truth, that I had pledged allegiance to the Mahdi’s religion. They asked me about the Mahdi, and they were asking me about where I got the teachings from. They asked, why are so many people pledging their allegiance to him? They also asked me why I pledged my allegiance. Then they started physically hurting me and slapping me, and kicking me in the stomach. They wrote a statement against me, saying I am a radicalized person. They started asking me questions about radicalism. I said no, ours is a religion of peace, and we are only spreading the word. This is our only work.” – Statement of Salhina Said
Video testimony of Salhina Said
Salhina was physically assaulted—slapped and kicked in the stomach. Officers confiscated and searched his personal belongings, including his phone and bag. He refused to provide his phone’s password.
The police also stole his money—30 USD (approximately 3,000 Kenyan Shillings)—claiming it was evidence of collaboration with “external groups.” He was eventually released, but not before enduring psychological intimidation, physical violence, and religious profiling.
Salhina’s testimony highlights a recurring theme of religious intolerance. He was specifically targeted for not following Sunni Islam and instead adhering to the teachings of the Qa’im, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq.
The independent Kenyan member of the faith corroborates this pattern of abuse, noting the absence of political motivations and confirming that protests emerged purely in response to a religiously motivated killing
As a result of this harassment and in fear of further violence, Salhina, his wife, and their two children were forced to flee Kenya. They have since sought refuge in an undisclosed location outside the country. For security reasons, the details of their whereabouts cannot be revealed.
On April 16, 2025, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq released a public address honoring the memory of Ibrahim Ramadhan. In the same speech, Aba Al-Sadiq also paid tribute to another follower of the faith who was killed under separate circumstances in Somalia. Afterwards, the Human Rights Department of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light held a conference in the basilica at the UK headquarters, bringing together members of the community to reflect on the events surrounding Ibrahim’s death.
The gathering served not only as a memorial but also as a coordinated effort to raise international awareness of the human rights violations endured by members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Africa.
Local media reports…..https://youtu.be/qu2J3ixbhZA
Aba Al Sadiq FHIP speech on this martydom…https://youtu.be/WRnqsvCs6m4
Share this article:
