Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has detained the former commissioner of Dharkenlay district, Abukar Ahmed Addow Tifoow, on suspicion of affiliating with the al-Shabab militants.
As per the Intelligence Agency’s statement on Saturday, Abukar Ahmed Addow Tifoow allegedly joined the group between 2013 and 2014, undergoing intelligence training in Barawe town within the Lower Shabelle region. It is claimed that during this time, he shared government intelligence with the group and assisted in their schemes.
Tifoow held the position of Deputy Commissioner for Security and Politics in Wadajir District from 2015 to 2019, and subsequently served as Dharkeynley District Commissioner from 2019 to 2020.
The Agency disclosed that they had been monitoring his activities for a period before finally apprehending him on March 4, 2024, at the Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu upon his return from Kenya.
However, this development follows closely on the heels of the Somali government’s recent actions, which included seizing seven million US dollars, shutting down 670 telephone numbers, and closing 110 merchant accounts purportedly linked to terrorist networks.
Reportedly, these numbers and accounts were utilized by terrorist networks to issue threats, extort money, and conduct financial transactions with Somali businesses.
