Saturday 5,April 2025 {HMC} Somali police in Mogadishu arrested Abdirahman Suleyman Jama, the chairman of the People’s Political Organization, on Saturday, citing concerns related to national security.
In a brief statement, the Somali Police Command for Banadir Region said Abdirahman Suleyman is suspected of committing acts “against national security” but did not provide further details. He is expected to appear before a competent court.
Abdirahman, who was reportedly accompanied by MP Abdikarin Deyr Abdi, a federal lawmaker representing SSC-Khaatumo, was arrested after they left Sanaag Hotel. According to the MP, their vehicle was intercepted by police and intelligence officers, who forcibly removed Abdirahman from the car and transported him to Godka Jilicow, a high-security detention facility. The MP said he was ordered to drive the vehicle away himself.
The arrest follows Abdirahman Suleyman’s recent televised interview with Shabelle TV, in which he harshly criticized President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing the government of military failures and financial mismanagement.
“The federal government is barely holding ground at Afgooye and Balcad. The army’s supplies have been auctioned off. President Hassan Sheikh has failed. We, as several political parties, have already filed cases in the United States and the United Kingdom,” Abdirahman said during the interview.
The arrest comes amid President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s recent call for a national consultation forum, inviting political stakeholders, including his rivals, to collaborate on addressing the country’s security challenges and improving the federal system. The president’s call followed a surge in Al-Shabaab attacks and was seen by some observers as a bid to restore political unity.
