The Spokesman for the Galmudug Regional Administration of Somalia and social media activist, Mr. Abdillahi Hashi Roob da’ay, in a stunning statement to Goobjoob media outlet said he was “kidnapped, tortured, stripped naked and photographed” by troops from the National Intelligence and Security Agency.
Mr. Roob da’ay, who was visibly upset and choking back tears recounted the terrifying ordeal of how he was kidnapped by troops from the NISA in front of the parliament building, blindfolded thrown in the back of a vehicle and taken to a place where he was asked “So you are the one who keeps bringing up Qalbi-dhagah who is going after the President and the Prime Minister? Aren’t you the one who is always talking about the Security Services has murdered someone? Today is your day, what do you think of that?”
He continued “I told them that I am a government official who is a Spokesman of an Administration, you can check my identification if you want, if I am being accused of a crime I am willing to go to court but if this is a kidnaping you can do what you ever you want”.
After that exchange, according to Mr. Roob da’ay, his captors administered a severe beating and tortured him with electric shock, he added “after all that, at gun point, I was told if you value your life, you will strip naked, I tried to fight them off but in the end I took my clothes off as ordered. They grab their cameras and began to take naked photos of me and I was told if you post [on facebook] anything about President Farmajo or Prime Minister Khaire or about Qalbi-dhagax, we will post one of these photos of you”.
“I was told if you post anything, we will post a picture, guard your life and your reputation and if you don’t stay out of the government’s business or ours you will lose your life. I was blindfolded again and I was thrown in my car and driven to a deserted area” Mr Roob da’ay added.
“Today, I was visited with this terrible ordeal in the name of the government, the name of the President and in the name of the Prime Minister and I honestly never expected it, when I was being abducted I thought they were Al-Shabaab at first, it was only after I saw them and the government places they took me when I realized that the Somali government is abusing and suffocating its people. I am certain that this is the first time the government used this tactic and I am sure there were many youths before me who may not have the courage to come forward. I am not hiding anything; this is the abuse I faced” Mr Roob da’ay said seemingly talking directly to his captors “You can post my naked pictures tonight if you so wish, I am not hiding the violence against me and you will answer for it in the afterlife and in this life, if there is a lawful government I will go to the courts and I will not let it go. From this point on I truly believe that you are prepared to assassinate or imprison me and anything that happens to me from now on, the public and the world is my witness”
Qalbi-dhagax is the OLNF leader who was handed to Ethiopia by Farmaajo’s administration that caused an uproar and some called a treasonous and unlawful act by Farmaajo and was recently pardoned by Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy of Ethiopia as part of his reconciliation of warring factions in his country.
BREAKING: newly released #ONLF commander AbdiKarim Muse #QalbiDhagax, spoke to the media in #AddisAbaba today for his first speech after releasing Ethiopian Jail, thanking to all Somali people by standing with him and strongly condemned his deportation from #Mogadishu. #Somalia pic.twitter.com/Q34UQTxRbp
— Mogadishu Update (@Magdashi3) July 1, 2018
Additionally, there was a massive campaign to discredit Mr. Abdillahi Hashi Roob da’ay’s claim on social media, where some accused him of working on an asylum claim in the Netherland and link him opposition politicial Abdirahman Abdishakur whose house was attacked in December 2017 by the same National Intelligence and Security Agency killing five of his bodyguards and injuring him while serving a warrant for his arrest for what the Somali government called “treason” charges.
Anti Govt propaganda has reached a new record high. Guy claiming to be #Galmudug spokesman said he was abducted, assaulted and blackmailed by #NISA. Turns out it’s a BIG LIE & he’s laying down foundations for asylum app in #Nertherlands —produced and directed by @AAbdishakur pic.twitter.com/dABS7rjKDH
— Sharmarke (@Sh_Garjeex) July 3, 2018
Others on social media expressed shock at the allegation and accused the NISA of behaving like terrorists.
NISA behave like terrorists, they torture, blackmail and murder with no evidence, they think good governance can be achieved with these bullshit actions.
Good govenance is to simply "call the individual and defend him/herself infront of the court". #NabadIyoNolol failed! https://t.co/4GkyWpF4kW
— Sharmaarke Hassan (@SharmakeHassan2) July 3, 2018