MP claims unassembled drones seized by security agents in Mogadishu

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Outgoing member of parliament Zakariye Haji Mohamud has come to claim drones seized by NISA forces at Aden Adde International Airport.

Zakariye issued a statement calling on the agency to realise the equipment to the company with immediate effect adding that the drones which were imported from Turkey, belong to a company known as Hufan.

Hufan, according to Zakariye, is a company that specializes in agricultural activities such as pest control, irrigation and locust spraying. The lawmaker said the drones were therefore meant to carry out such activities noting that it was illegal for NISA to seize the equipment.

The unmanned aerial vehicles, numbering six arrived unassembled from Turkey and were accompanied by two Turkish technicians who were to assemble the drones on Somali soil.

The two Turkish nationals were detained by NISA but later released after intervention by the Turkish embassy in Mogadishu.

The move by NISA comes after Puntland issued a statement recently cracking down on all drones operating in crucial areas citing increased security risks posed by the UAVs particularly during this time the country goes to the polls.

intelligence officials involved with the seizure of the equipment said they feared the planes posed a security risk, amid serious doubts about their official purpose.