James Boyard, a top Haitian security official, was abducted by armed men in the Bourdon neighborhood of Port-au-Prince on Thursday.
Boyard serves as cabinet director of the Defense Ministry and inspector general of the national police. He is also a political scientist involved in efforts to rebuild the country's armed forces and reform the police.
The kidnapping occurred in Bourdon, one of the few areas of the capital still viewed as relatively safe. An unnamed source confirmed the incident to The Associated Press on Saturday, noting that Boyard is the highest-ranking official taken in recent years.
Diego Da Rin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the abduction likely required detailed planning and possible insider help. He noted that gangs have expanded kidnappings into previously secure zones, sometimes impersonating police.
At least 267 people were reported kidnapped between December 2025 and February 2026, according to a U.N. report. In 2025, the total reached 1,268, a nearly 40 percent drop from the prior year.
