Come clean on Ikran’s death, Somalis urge PM Roble amid mounting anger
GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Prime Minister, Mohamed Hussein Roble, is facing mounting pressure to come clean on the alleged killing of intelligence agent Ikran Tahlil Farah. The case of the murdered NISA agent has sparked sharp reactions from several quarters as demands on the government to take responsibility for the killing escalates.
Calls for the Prime Minister to fire and investigate NISA chief Fahad Yassin who has widely been accused of cover-up have also intensified with the Council of Presidential Candidates calling for the immediate change in the NISA leadership and for an independent, international commission to be formed to take up the matter.
The Premier had recently sacked the NISA deputy director Abdullahi Kulane and head of intelligence at Aden Adde Airport Abdullahi Sheikh Ali only for the two to be brought back by Yasin in different portfolios.. Following complaints from several stakeholders, Roble had also sent warnings to NISA agents against harassing politicians in the opposition.
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The leader of Wadajir Party, Abdirahman Abdishakur has also called on the Prime Minister to take responsibility for the country’s security as all eyes are trained on his next move and urged him to directly engaged the family of the deceased agent for closure. He was also perturbed with the silence exhibited by NISA saying, “It is also strange that the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) did not have the intelligence capability to know about Ikran’s abduction, but now suddenly it knows about her killing. This is evidence of a link between AS and the NISA. It is also a warning.”
Former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has called for the appointment of a commission of inquiry into the Ikraan Tahliil Farah case. “It is imperative that the Prime Minister, considering this case, appoint a committee that includes all relevant agencies, and be tasked with finding out the truth,” said Omar Abdirashid.
Somalis online have also voiced their anger over the revelation by NISA on Thursday that Ikran had been killed. Al-Shabaab has since distanced itself from the killing following accusations by NISA against the militant group for ‘kidnap and murder’ of Ikran.
The chairman of the Somali Clerics Association Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salad has also called on the government to take responsibility for the situation and ensure that the problem does not escalate while advising all concerned parties to be tolerant as they wait for the government to expedite the matter.
“The government should not abuse the power of the people but use it properly, and what happened is up to the government. The perpetrators must be held accountable by the government, and people should not seek revenge in any case.” “If it happens, it will be the responsibility of the government,” said Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salad.