MOGADISHU, Somalia 27 March, 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is extremely concerned about the police raid on the residence of SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, on Wednesday, 26 March.
At approximately 8:40 PM local time, around 10 armed police officers arrived at Bulbul’s residence, questioning family members about his whereabouts. Bulbul was not at home, but the armed men harassed his family and remained outside for several hours. Later that night, a known police informant was seen near the residence.
On 8 March, Mohamed Bulbul published a four-part interview with a former inmate and victim of the Somalia National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA)’s notorious underground prison on his Facebook page, which has 206,000 followers. In the interview, the victim described torture and sexual violence against prisoners in NISA detention facility known as Godka Jila’ow where government critics and journalists are held.
Shortly after the interview was published, Bulbul received calls from police and NISA officers demanding its removal, which he refused.
Additionally, Bulbul reported on Mogadishu residents’ concerns over Al-Shabaab presence near the capital, warning of potential threats to civilian safety and calling for government action.
According to Bulbul, his reporting came after statement from the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu issued a security alert on 4 March 4, stating: “The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu is tracking credible information related to potential imminent attacks against multiple locations in Somalia, including Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. All movements of U.S. Embassy Mogadishu personnel have been canceled until further notice.” Also, the U.S. Embassy in Kenya had issued a statement on 27 February, announcing: “The U.S. Government has made the decision to not use Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu for official U.S. Embassy Mogadishu travelers until further notice. We will send updates as appropriate.”
These U.S. statements were widely covered by local journalists in Somalia, including Bulbul. Following this, several airlines have announced the suspension of their direct flights to Mogadishu.
On Monday, 24 March, Mogadishu Police Commander Mahdi Omar Mumin (known as Moalim Mahdi) called Mohamed Bulbul, requesting a meeting and urging him to stop reporting on police and security failures in Mogadishu.
SJS strongly condemns the raid on Bulbul’s residence and the threats against him due to his continuous reporting on critical public interest issues. SJS stands firmly with Mohamed Bulbul and calls on the police and NISA to end the harassment and intimidation against him.
These new threats come at a time when SJS continues its support for local journalists. Just last week alone, journalist Mohamed Abukar Dabaashe was killed in an Al-Shabaab bombing in Mogadishu on Tuesday 18 March, and 24 journalists were arrested briefly by Somali police in Mogadishu while reporting on the Al-Shabaab attack on the Somali president’s convoy.
Radio Risaala was raided and shut down by the police for covering the attack on the president on the same day.
Since Monday this week, journalist Ibrahim Mohamed Mayow, who comes from the marginalised community in Lower Shabelle, has been missing after being abducted in Afgooye, Lower Shabelle, by armed police officers affiliated with Mogadishu Police Commander Moalim Mahdi.
SJS urges the Somali authorities to respect press freedom and immediately cease targeting journalists for their reporting.
“We strongly condemn this outrageous raid and intimidation against SJS Secretary of Information and Human Rights, Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul and his family. This is yet another blatant attack on press freedom and an attempt to silence critical journalism in Somalia,” said SJS President, Mohamed Ibrahim “We call for full accountability for those responsible for this raid, including the officers who carried it out and the officials who ordered it.”
“Somalia’s police and national intelligence must immediately cease their harassment of journalists, particularly Mohamed Bulbul, who not only dedicates his time to reporting the truth on the ground but has also devoted enormous efforts to advocating for press freedom and supporting fellow journalists. Instead of targeting journalists, the Somali police and NISA should focus on their actual duty—protecting citizens and ensuring security, not targeting journalists and suppressing the truth,” added Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim.