Somalia’s Federal Police nab high-ranking Puntland official

On Tuesday evening, Somalia’s police force officially announced the arrest of Ahmed Abdi Mahmoud Hurre, the Social Affairs Advisor to the President of Puntland, citing concerns over “public security.” In a statement, the federal Police Force said the suspect was detained as part of its national mandate to safeguard stability and enforce the law.

“The Somali Police Force, fulfilling its national duty, tonight arrested suspect Ahmed Abdi Mahmoud Hurre, who was engaged in activities against public security” the police said adding that “an investigation is underway.”. The authorities did not provide further details regarding the nature of the alleged activities or the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

In response, authorities in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland condemned what they described as an “abduction” of senior Puntland official and pre-dawn raid conducted by federal security forces. Puntland officials alleged that the operation targeted lawmakers representing the region in the national parliament. They characterized the actions as unlawful and politically motivated.

“This act is unprecedented in governance, carried out without any legal process and against individuals who had committed no crime,” the statement read. Puntland authorities added that the federal government would bear full responsibility for the consequences of what they described as a “heinous act.”

The arrest comes amid political and constitutional crisis in Mogadishu, where a series of escalating incidents has heightened tensions between Somalia’s federal government and regional administrations.

On Sunday, an aircraft carrying members of parliament from Puntland was reportedly diverted mid-air to Mogadishu. Since that incident, the Puntland MPs have remained in the capital, unable to return to Garowe, the administrative seat of Puntland. In a recent statement, the lawmakers claimed they were being “held hostage” and appealed to the international community to intervene and guarantee their safe passage home.

These developments come at a particularly sensitive moment. The federal government is attempting to finalize a set of constitutional amendments, an initiative that has triggered widespread controversy and political friction. Critics argue that the process lacks sufficient political consensus and risks undermining the fragile federal framework underpinning Somalia’s governance system. If the parliament moves forward with the amendments, the country is expected to be entering one of its most serious constitutional crises in recent decades.

The situation is further complicated by developments in Jubbaland. Members of parliament representing the region have returned to the regional capital, Kismayo, where they issued a strong statement rejecting the proposed constitutional amendments. In their latest remarks, Jubbaland officials argued that the ongoing process goes beyond a simple amendment and instead amounts to drafting an entirely “new constitution.”

The latest arrest is likely to further strain relations between Garowe and Mogadishu. For nearly three years, ties between Puntland and the federal government in Mogadishu have remained rocky. Tensions escalated in late 2024 when Puntland announced the complete suspension of cooperation with the federal government, citing unresolved disputes over proposed constitutional amendments. Since then, relations between Garowe and Mogadishu have shown little sign of improvement.

The standoff has been further complicated by the political ambitions of Puntland’s president, who is widely seen as a strong contender for the upcoming presidential elections. He has been a vocal opponent of the constitutional amendments championed by the federal leadership, arguing that they lack broad consensus and undermine the federal system. His firm stance against the proposed changes has contributed to a prolonged deadlock between the two sides.

As the federal government moves ahead with the amendments, tensions have deepened. Measures taken by Mogadishu, including reportedly blocking federal Members of Parliament from traveling to Garowe, have further aggravated the situation. The latest arrest of Ahmed Abdi Mahmoud Hurre is therefore expected to push relations between the two administrations into an even more entrenched impasse.