by CAROLYNE KUBWA
Sunday April 2, 2023
Some of the family members with placards expressing frustration over the detainment and alleged witch-hunt of their kin by the Somali spy agency during a demonstrations in Mogadishu
The Somali capital of Mogadishu experienced demonstrations by families whose members were either detained by the federal's security and spy agency or went into voluntary exile as purges on former officials gains momentum.
Armed with placards expressing their distaste for the treatment of their loved ones, the family member set camp at the front gate of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) headquarters chanting "justice for our family members."
They claimed that the new NISA director, Mahat Salat has been conducting what they termed as "witch-hunt and victimisation".
"We are braving the scorching heat to express our desire to have our family member released, or at least produced at the courts for a fair hearing," Anab Mohamed, 32, urged.
She said her cousin, a delisted NISA officer, "has been kept in detention and stripped of the right to a lawyer and family visit".
One notable top official who has since been victimised and forced into exile is Colonel Abdullahi Dheere.
Somali media reports that Mahat Salat has ordered the arrest of Dheere’s staff members, among them his driver who’s still in custody at NISA holding facility in Mogadishu.
Dheere was the lead intelligence officer of a team of detectives who were facilitators of cross-country intelligence cooperation.
Their mission was to help neighbouring countries of Kenya and Ethiopia against the threats of Al Shabab.
However, the threat of Al Shabab attacks has been on the increase over the last six months.
A brief statement by NISA officials who sought anonymity said the “driver is in custody pending determination of an ongoing investigation,” a remark local political analysts believe is an extension of the victimisation campaign by the spy agency against the Farmajo-era lead operatives and a dent on the reputation of NISA.
“When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took power, he said his administration would not be engaged in which-hunt and policies that are anchored on revenge, but NISA’s latest trend defies his inauguration speech,” Ali Mursal, a governance and security analyst, noted.
In the past week, several press conferences were held by community elders in several cities such as Garowe in Puntland and at the port city of Kismayo calling for an end to of the removal and victimisation of their kin.
"The people who are being targeted now are an asset to the nation. They served their country with rigour. If there are any allegations of misconduct or impropriety, then they should be stripped of their rights and to a fair hearing," an elder (name unknown) said in one of the statements directed at the federal government leaders and NISA top officials.
On the Wednesday protest, a rare sight in Mogadishu, the visibly frustrated family members said they support their elders' sentiment and demanded for "a fair, just and honourable treatment for the unfairly condemned officers."
The "National Intelligence and Security Agency Act," a bill that was drafted by the Ministry of Interior, was enacted by the Federal Parliament.
The bill seeks to establish a regulatory framework for a new look NISA, which includes a raft of clauses that safeguards the rights of the officers.
Local political analysts believe the bill "may take longer to be approved and may not likely draw a sigh of relief for the officers in detention."
In the meantime, the concerned family member is calling on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to intervene and address their grievances.