Saturday 24,May 2025 {HMC} Former chairman of the Puntland Electoral Commission, Guuleed Salah Barre, launched a scathing attack on Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, accusing him of hiring mercenary companies to extract natural resources in the semi-autonomous region illegally.
Speaking to reporters in Garowe on Saturday, Guuleed Salah alleged that resource-rich areas in Sanaag and Bari regions are being “plundered” by foreign firms under the approval of the Deni administration.
“You are now aware that Puntland’s natural resources are being illegally extracted, that mercenary companies have been hired, that they want to plunder the resources,” said Guuleed, warning that the region’s wealth is being siphoned without public oversight or benefit.
Guuleed, who contested against President Deni in the final round of the 2024 Puntland presidential election, also accused the president of transforming Puntland into a family-run enterprise, stating that hopes for reform under Deni’s new term have “completely collapsed.”
He criticized Deni’s alleged attempt to reintegrate Puntland’s economy with Mogadishu, blaming the move for economic decline, rising unemployment, and a surge in youth migration. “Puntland’s economy is being ruined, and its future is being mortgaged,” Guuleed warned.
He further described the ongoing political standoff between Puntland and the Federal Government as a personal conflict, arguing that Deni’s loss in federal-level political maneuvering has backfired on Puntland’s interests.
The Puntland presidency has not responded to the allegations.
Guuleed’s remarks reflect growing internal dissent in Puntland amid mounting criticism over governance, federal relations, and resource management. Tensions have been building between President Deni’s administration and opposition figures, many of whom are now calling for greater transparency and public engagement in Puntland’s political and economic future.
Source Hiiraan online
