JIGJIGA: Jigjiga city, the capital of the Somali Region in Ethiopia, where the reported incident involving visiting youth from the Republic of Somaliland took place. © BBN
On Saturday, April 4, 2026, a troubling incident unfolded involving a group of young individuals from Hargeisa, including journalists, artists, and TikTok content creators, who had been officially invited to Jigjiga, a city in Ethiopia’s Somali Region. The invitation reportedly came directly from the mayor of Jigjiga, with the intention of hosting the group for a series of social and cultural activities.
According to the planned program, the youth delegation was expected to participate in two major events. The first was a large public celebration scheduled for Sunday morning, where they would contribute through entertainment, including music performances and media coverage. The second activity involved participating in a football event as part of the broader engagement.
The group was granted permission to enter Jigjiga with their own vehicles, and officials from the mayor’s office were reportedly dispatched to facilitate their arrival and ensure smooth coordination. The delegation departed from Wajaale at around 10:00 PM, traveling in three vehicles, and arrived in Jigjiga where accommodations had already been arranged at a local hotel known as Hoyga Jiifka Jigjiga.
However, approximately 30 minutes after checking into the hotel, the situation escalated unexpectedly. Security forces arrived at the premises in multiple vehicles and informed hotel staff that a special operation was underway. The atmosphere quickly shifted from hospitality to tension.
Two members of the group, who had remained awake in the hotel’s front area, witnessed the sudden deployment of security forces. They were informed that the authorities were specifically seeking two individuals from the group: journalist Mohamed Andar and TikToker Saleenbaan Dheere. The justification provided by the security personnel was that the two had allegedly shared content and reports related to the Dacawaley conflict.
It is important to note that the Dacawaley conflict had already been resolved through prior agreements, and the matter was widely considered closed.
Shortly after, officials from the mayor’s office who had initially welcomed the group arrived at the scene. A prolonged and tense discussion ensued between them and the security forces, who were reportedly operating under the authority of the regional presidential office. The operation was allegedly led by an individual identified as Abdihakim, described as part of the regional president’s protocol team.
The discussions, which lasted nearly an hour, escalated into emotional appeals. At one point, the two individuals present even suggested that if arrests were to be made, the entire group should be detained together rather than targeting specific members.
Ultimately, a decision was reached: the group was ordered to immediately leave Jigjiga. Authorities warned that failure to comply would result in the detention of the two targeted individuals, Mohamed Andar and Saleenbaan Dheere.
Members of the group, some of whom had already gone to sleep, were abruptly awakened and instructed to vacate the hotel. By approximately 2:50 AM, the entire group had been escorted out of Jigjiga under the supervision of security vehicles, which followed them until they reached the outskirts of Wajaale.
As of now, the mayor of Jigjiga, who had initially extended the invitation to the group, has not issued any public statement regarding the incident or the attempted abduction. The event has raised serious concerns about the safety of invited guests, freedom of expression, and the conduct of security operations in the region.
