Puntland officials disturbed by media reports of their purchase of weapons to support Mogadishu opposition militia against the federal government of Somalia.
Recently there were reports of Puntland’s top officials who were tasked to purchase weapons and military equipments to be shipped to Mogadhu to support anti-federal government armed opposition groups.
Those weapons that they bought were brought to Mogadishu and it’s some of the weapons that opposition militias used to fuel the violence which took place in Mogadishu on Sunday.
The Puntland officials who are in charge of the weapons and ammunition purchase project are finance minister Xasan Shire Abgaal, president Deni’s brother, Xasan Abdullahi Deni and Gara’ad port manager Ali-Said Abdulqadir Jaamac (Said Fadi).
Exposed by widespread media reports on their arms trafficking clandestine operations, the three officials offered to silence the websites and all the other media sources that reported about their weapons smuggling activities. They use all sorts of tactics that include bribery, intimidation and using their networks to kill the reports and stop further reporting on the matter.
Puntland president Said Abdullahi deni who lived in the Gulf countries is using repression and high-handed tactics to suppress free media. He felt exposed by media reports of his association with armed factions in Mogadishu, the opposition groups in Mogadishu, especially Damu Jadid islamist group as well as UAE.
Deni’s repression against free press has led to the arrest of several stringers, attacks against media infrastructure and equipment to silence local media.
The three senior Puntland officials named above are also involved in disinformation campaign to recruiting local media to broadcast and spread positive reports and denials of their involvement in Puntland’s arms trafficking project to support armed opposition groups in Mogadishu to cause more violence.
