A Nairobi businessman has been arrested over a viral video that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) claims incited violence against police officers, triggering alarm from his family and lawyer who say he has since gone missing.

The DCI announced early Thursday morning that Godfrey Mwasiaga Kakan Maiyo, the man behind a widely circulated video on TikTok, had been apprehended. “Godfrey Mwasiaga Kakan Maiyo, the suspect behind a viral video inciting violence against police officers and their families, has been arrested.

The video had been uploaded to his TikTok account,” the DCI said in a statement posted on X.

According to the agency, detectives tracked Maiyo to Kimathi House in Nairobi, where he was operating a hidden office under the name LetaPeleka Logistics.

He was reportedly arrested there around 6:45pm on Wednesday. The DCI said Maiyo is in custody and undergoing processing pending arraignment.

However, hours after the arrest, his family, lawyer and close friends said they had not been able to locate him.

In a video seen by Radio Generation Kenya, three plainclothes men, believed to be officers, are seen confronting Maiyo and pushing him against a wall before leading him away. He is heard pleading, “Si mrelax kwanza, hii ni stima iko hapa. Mrelax kwanza.”

His lawyer, David Ogara, said the arrest was carried out without explanation. “I was called by one of his employees who informed me that men in two Subarus came for him at his office in Kimathi House,” he said.

Ogara said the officers initially claimed they were taking Maiyo to Capitol Hill Police Station. “We went there, but he was not booked in. We proceeded to the Nairobi Area, and he was also not there. Later we were informed that he had been taken to DCI headquarters and that he would then be taken to an unknown police station to spend the night,” he added.

Despite efforts to trace him at various stations including Capitol Hill, Central and the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road, his legal team and family say they have not found any official record of him in custody.

Maiyo, who has gained a strong following on TikTok and other platforms, has in recent weeks posted videos criticising the government and security agencies for alleged abductions and unlawful operations.

In a video posted on July 1, he directly addressed the DCI. “This is my message to the DCI: those who are abducting people. Let me tell you this, you are a parent, you are someone’s sibling, you are sent to abduct a person who is unarmed, not a terrorist, and has not stolen public property. Ask yourself: for how long will I allow myself to be used by this government to make other people’s children suffer?”

He added, “The person who sent you is the real thief of public resources, and what they’ve stolen affects even you and your children. DCI, stop your nonsense of arresting and abducting innocent Kenyans. You are not above the law.”

In the same video, he warned of consequences: “The wrath of God is upon this government. When it strikes, none of you who have been involved in the abductions of Kenyans will survive. Your families will cry the same tears these families have cried… No amount of arrest, abduction, or killing will silence Kenyans. It is a waste of time.”

He went further, cautioning security personnel that, “a time is coming when you will go to abduct someone and you will not return to your stations alive. Mark my words.”

In a separate clip posted on July 8, Maiyo took part in the viral #WeAreAllKikuyus campaign, which emerged after the violent Saba Saba protests on July 7. “This government cannot make us hate Kikuyus. I am a Kalenjin Luhya, and we are all Kikuyus. The enemy is Ruto, not Kikuyus,” he said.

The campaign, trending across platforms, began as a pushback against efforts to blame the Kikuyu community for the destruction witnessed during the protests. Kenyans from different backgrounds have since joined in, identifying their communities and counties of origin to affirm unity and reject tribal profiling.

Maiyo’s disappearance comes amid ongoing reports of human rights violations tied to the Saba Saba demonstrations. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) says that as of July 8, it had recorded two cases of enforced disappearances, 107 injuries and 532 arrests. The death toll from the June 7 protests stands at 31.

“We strongly condemn all human rights violations and urge accountability from all responsible parties, including police, civilians, and all other stakeholders,” KHRC said in a statement. The Commission also extended condolences to affected families. “We once again send our message of condolence to those who lost their loved ones and wish a quick recovery to those nursing injuries,” KHRC’s Davis Nyeris said.

As of Wednesday night, Maiyo’s location remained unknown. His lawyer and family have vowed to keep pressing the authorities for answers and his safe release.