Somalia: A Step Backward

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AXADLE) – On June 14, 2025, a shadow loomed over Somalia’s tentative progress. A figure controversial and polarizing, Mahad Mohamed Salad, accused of orchestrating a litany of abuses and fostering deep-seated clan favoritism, was reinstated as director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). His alleged ties to Al-Shabaab cast an even darker silhouette over the nation’s landscape.

His return doesn’t just dig up memories of wrongful detentions and extrajudicial killings; it starkly suggests that Somalia’s leadership is turning a blind eye to the vulnerable, thereby unraveling strides made toward justice, accountability, and peace. “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” reflects George Santayana, yet, here we are.

Mahad Salad’s initial appointment was on May 26, 2022, and his removal followed on April 4, 2024, amid persistent allegations of human rights violations and misuse of power. His tenure became synonymous with a reign of fear, targeting journalists, civil society, minority communities, and businesses alike.

Worse still are the ominous ties to terror networks. The haunting disappearance of NISA’s cybersecurity officer, Ikran Tahlil Farah, remains unsolved, amid chilling reports of her handover to Al-Shabaab. How does justice respond when whispered truths are met with deliberate silences?

From the onset, Salad’s reign invoked fear. I remember reading about the October 10, 2022 raid on the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) led by a former Al-Shabaab defector under NISA’s aegis. It was only the start. A day later, SJS Secretary-General Abdalle Ahmed Mumin was abducted, enduring an assassination attempt in an underground cell.

On February 23, 2023, under Salad’s orders, Mumin was kidnapped during a public meeting. He spent 33 harrowing days in secret detention, surviving torture—a recurring pattern for those daring to speak up.

Such actions weren’t isolated blips. On December 18, 2022, Channel 4 News correspondent Jamal Muhumed Osman faced detention and deportation. Radio Kulmiye reporters were detained without charge while covering an election in February 2023. Would you speak out if silence became the currency of survival?

Humanity faced a bruising setback in February 2024 when Abdinasir Muse Dahable, a UK-trained air traffic controller, was found brutally murdered. Indications of NISA’s involvement under Salad’s watch sparked outrage, yet key suspects like Hassan Dahir fled, leaving justice a mere mirage.

A month later, faulty intelligence from NISA led to a tragic Turkish drone strike in Afgoye, claiming 23 civilian lives, including those of 14 children. Attempts by survivors to seek justice met threats and intimidation.

Those in business weren’t immune either. Early 2024 saw armed NISA raids on Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Bank, leading to unjust detentions and operational disruptions. Such actions bore grim warnings that business owners either comply or face dire consequences.

Imagine a Somalia where its strategic position as a cornerstone for regional stability is overshadowed by fear and silenced voices. The reinstatement of Mahad Salad blatantly undermines Somalia’s quest for safety and equity.

There’s an urgent call to the international community: silence is not an option. Donor nations must leverage their influence to demand accountability and meaningful reforms. The path to peace is not paved with fear but with the stones of truth and justice.

Somalia deserves leaders who safeguard, not persecute. It deserves a future where voices are not just heard but listened to emphatically.