Somali Journalists Syndicate Raises Concerns Over Recent Raid

Edited By Ali Musa, Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

MOGADISHU, Somalia, 27 March 2025 – A recent event has shaken the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS). It has left us pondering a fundamental question: How far must we go to protect freedom of expression? The unsettling police raid on the residence of SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, on the night of 26 March, has sparked grave concern among human rights advocates and the journalistic community alike.

At precisely 8:40 PM, an unusual silence cloaked the neighborhood where Mr. Bulbul resides. Ten armed police officers descended unexpectedly, their presence echoing a tense unease among those they questioned about Bulbul’s whereabouts. The scene resembled a tense drama, yet one all too real for Bulbul’s family. While he was absent, the officers loitered for hours, casting a shadow of fear and intimidation. Additionally, a familiar face, allegedly a police informant, surfaced nearby, enhancing the family’s distress.

This incident follows Bulbul’s bold move earlier this month on 8 March. On his Facebook platform, with a substantial following of over 206,000, he unveiled a startling four-part interview series. This time, the spotlight was on a former inmate of the Somalia National Intelligence and Security Agency’s (NISA) infamous underground detention center, Godka Jila’ow. With unwavering courage, the interviewee recounted harrowing tales of torture and sexual violence, where voices of dissent and journalism are often silenced. Bulbul’s audacity seemed not to sit well with certain quarters.

Calls soon inundated Bulbul, urging—no, insisting—on the retraction of this narrative. Yet, he remained steadfast. Can silence ever be justified in the face of such fierce truth? His refusal to kowtow underlines a critical struggle: the fight to shine a light on what hides in darkness.

Adding heft to Bulbul’s creds is his daring exploration into Mogadishu’s fragile safety conditions. Residents’ worries over Al-Shabaab’s looming presence were painted vividly in his stories, like brushstrokes on a stark canvas. Such narratives do not just stem from imagination—they beeped ominously after a security alert from the U.S. Embassy on 4 March. Warning of imminent threats against strategic points in Somalia, it advised extreme caution, especially steering clear of Aden Adde International Airport. Soon after, the U.S. Embassy in Kenya mirrored the sentiment. Airlines reacted swiftly, suspending routes to Mogadishu. In such precarious times, should the messenger be vilified?

A critical moment arrived on 24 March. Mogadishu Police Commander Mahdi Omar Mumin, known locally as Moalim Mahdi, reached out. The undertone of his request was stark: take a step back from investigative scrutiny spotlighting police and security loopholes. But Bulbul stood resolute once more, a beacon amidst turbulent winds.

The SJS could not remain idle. In a strong denunciation, they called out the unwarranted raid and the growing threats against Bulbul. Standing in solidarity, they plead for pressure on the local authorities to respect journalistic work as pillars of democracy. These threats seem to have a stealthy but consistent rhythm, given the recent loss of journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabaashe in an Al-Shabaab bombing. Others weren’t spared; 24 journalists at ground zero of an Al-Shabaab attack faced temporary arrest. Radio Risaala wasn’t untouched either—shut down for merely doing their job. A troubling trend emerges, doesn’t it?

Yet another thread in this unsettling tapestry is journalist Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow’s troubling disappearance. Hailing from a marginalized community, his abduction by police aligned with Commander Mahdi starkly illustrates what’s at stake.

“We find this raid on Mr. Bulbul and the growing intimidation utterly reprehensible,” expressed the earnest SJS President, Mohamed Ibrahim. “It’s a blatant onslaught on press integrity, an unmistakable bid to mute earnest journalism.”

He further articulated a poignant truth: “Rather than training their focus on truth-tellers like Bulbul, Somali authorities should revert to their core mandate—safeguarding citizens, ensuring security, and enhancing the public space for factual discourse.” Are we, perchance, witnessing a crossroads for journalism in Somalia—a battle between shadows and light?

In these complex dynamics, the SJS’s plea amplifies: an urgent call for accountability, an unequivocal cessation of harassment targeted at those reporting ground realities. We must ask—are we willing to stand by as truth becomes an entity whispered, a candle snuffed prematurely?

– Somali Journalists Syndicate –

Edited By Ali Musa, Axadle Times international–Monitoring.