Somali Region Security Chief ‘relieved’ from his duty, news of coup d’etat dismissed
Mustafa Mohammed, Somali region acting president. Photo : Social Media
Somali regional state security chief, Abdi-Adil, is removed from his position following what is said to be an alleged coup attempt against Mustafa Mohammed Omer’s administration. The latter dismissed news of the coup. Protocol head is reportedly removed, too, and in custody.
There has been a conflicting report regarding an alleged security crisis over the past 24 hours in the Somali regional state.
Some claim that there was an attempted coup, a security crisis, and an attempt to assassinate the region’s acting president Mustafa Mohamed Omer.
Yet, others who claim to have a connection in the regional government say that the region is facing no security issue. However, there was a dispute among top executives over the past 24 hours.
Muktarovich Ousmanova wrote on facebook, in Amharic, that “those who have a difference with Mustafa Mohamed attempted a political intrigue to remove him from power. They tried to initiate a meeting of performance evaluation, which they thought would help them remove the president. However, Mustafa understood the move and did not permit the meeting as the region is on a health emergency.”
Borekena reached out to a senior government official in Somali regional administration. He said the security situation in the region is stable and that there is no security incident. But he confirmed to borkena, on an anonymous basis, that the region’s security chief, Abdi-Adil, “has been relieved from his duty on a normal procedural way”
He said, “The security situation of the region is stable with all functions going well as well. If any thing, the region’s security chief has been relieved from his duty on a normal procedural way. I’m not sure if that fits insecurity or how it can tantamount to news. Beyond that, any report that suggest insecurity in the region is simply concocted lies being disseminated by the forces of the anti-reforms in the region.”
borkena also reached out to Hibbo Mohammed, Deputy Chief of Communications, on the phone. First, someone answered the phone and the writer of this report was told that “she is on a Salat Prayer.” But she declined to answer repeated phone calls made 10 minutes after the first call.
Mohamed Olad worked as Media and Communications Advisor to president Mustafa Omer. He said in a twitter message on March 30 that he resigned from his position last month without specifying why he did so. One government official who spoke to borkena on an anonymous basis said he was fired.
On Thursday, he shared his version of what transpired in the Somali region of Ethiopia. He says Mustafa Mohammed dismissed Abdi-Adil from a position as Chief of Security of the region, but the “rest of #PP leadership” rejected Mustafa’s decision as “illegal and procedural,” and called for an evaluative meeting. But the president did not accept the call for a meeting, he said. What unfolded next is confrontation, in a busy business center in Jijiga as Olad puts it, between Somali Region Liyu Police contingent dispatched to arrest Abdi-Adil and Abdi-Adil’s security personnel,” the result of which is unspecified. However, he claims that the whereabouts of Abdi-Adil is unknown.
Mr. Olad also says that Mustafa Mohamed had a press conference on Thursday noon. “What I can glean so far, the president has accused of an attempted bloody coup and a target on his life. But holding breath for the evidence the President forwards when the press conference goes life[live?].”
However, a government official trashed Mr. Olad’s claim. “I don’t think quoting that guy is right. He was caught red handed defaming the very system he was part of and such fired a month ago.”
Other sources reported that Mustafa’s press statement focused on Coronavirus prevention measures. Abdi Adil and protocol head of Mustafa Mohammed are reportedly in custody in connection with the incident.
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