Somali security forces have arrested a prominent critic of the government “for treason” following a deadly raid on his home in the capital, Mogadishu, the state-run radio has reported.
Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, a former planning minister who ran for the presidency in February, was slightly wounded in the raid, but five of his guards were killed, according to local media reports.
“Honourable Abdirahman Abdikashur was arrested at about 23:10 local time (20:10 GMT) last night despite a gunfight between his guards and security forces,” Radio Mogadishu said on its website.
His party, Wadajir, has condemned the arrest and vowed to “put into the light the blunders of the government”.
“He was arrested in an illegal manner on orders from the president’s…office. We really condemn the attack. We passed the reign of dictatorship and settling matters through the barrel of a gun by attacking our party office and leaders,” Wadajir chairman Kamal Gutale said.
The raid occurred hours after the attorney-general announced that two members of the House of the People [federal parliament] were being investigated for treason.
Abdishakur said on Twitter on Sunday that the attorney-general’s revelations were “an unconstitutional war on Somali MPs and parliament”.
