Human Trafficking Attempt Thwarted in Mogadishu Amid Ongoing Concerns
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AXADLE) – In a harrowing incident, three young girls—Luul Mahamed Ali, Nasteexo Sayid Nuur, and Meymun Abdullahi Ahmed—fell prey to human traffickers in Mogadishu. They were slated for smuggling between the twilight of June and early July 2024.
Fortunately, prompt alerts from vigilant sources and the rapid response of airport authorities allowed their families to successfully intercept this nefarious plan.
Despite the disruption, the traffickers—rumored to hold significant sway and connections within the government—remain elusive. “It’s like they’re untouchable,” remarked Mohamud, a family member of one of the victims.
The girls’ intended journey was a grim odyssey: departing from Mogadishu to Hargeisa, then traversing land routes to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before illegally crossing into Sudan and the Libyan desert, where their captors lay in wait, eager for their “golden asset.”
Documents, procured by our investigative team, included boarding passes for the girls. Yet none boarded the flight, thanks to the last-minute intervention that ensured their safety.
Interestingly, only one girl, Meymun, possessed a Somali passport; Luul and Nasteexo lacked any formal identification. Nevertheless, traffickers managed to secure falsified Somaliland travel papers for their anticipated voyage to Hargeisa.
Parents were left in disbelief upon learning that these documents fraudulently listed the girls with altered birth dates to misrepresent them as adults.
Meymun has since reunited with her family at a displacement camp in Mogadishu. Still, ominous fears loom over her, as relatives worry that the traffickers may retaliate.
“My heart races with worry,” voiced Abdi, Meymun’s uncle. “She vanished for seven days, and now that she’s back, the lurking danger from those men festers in my mind.”
An immigration officer from Mogadishu’s airport, who opted to remain anonymous, divulged unsettling information about collusion between traffickers and high-ranking Somali police. However, he withheld specific names.
“If the girls reached Hargeisa, they would have been smuggled to Ethiopia and onward into Sudan and the Sahara. That’s where traffickers typically demand ransom from families,” the officer detailed grimly.
Victims are often baited with the allure of jobs and improved prospects in Europe, yet many transform into hostages. These traffickers, dubbed “magafe,” operate through intricate, expansive networks stretching both within Somalia and beyond.
Investigators uncovered a Tunisian contact liaising with a Mogadishu-based travel agency to secure tickets for the girls. Text messages and audio communications confirmed that tickets had been issued for Meymun Abdullahi Ahmed.
The travel agency implicated in this scheme, ExSom Cargo and Travel Agency, resides in Mogadishu. Intriguingly, its owner also holds the title of deputy director at the Somalia Immigration Department. However, when our reporter inquired Thursday, the agency was closed.
Attempts to obtain comments from the Mogadishu airport police and the Somaliland immigration department fell on deaf ears.
Human trafficking remains a devastating crisis, preying on Somali youth. Countless girls and boys have vanished along the treacherous Sahara trail, with many facing dire hostage scenarios in Libya, leaving families grappling with ransom demands.
Despite the urgency, the Somali government has yet to implement substantial measures against this pervasive crime, with some perpetrators thought to be governmental insiders.
