A fierce political and ideological clash has erupted in Somalia’s power corridors, as the Minister of Ports and Marine Transport, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur “Jama”, launched a scathing attack on former National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) chief Fahad Yasin.
The confrontation was sparked by a controversial statement published by Fahad, which accused former defence officials of collaborating with foreign nations to undermine Somalia’s national army.
The dramatic escalation began when Fahad Yasin posted a message on social media suggesting that for the past three years, the Somali National Army had fallen victim to what he described as a foreign-backed conspiracy.
In his statement, Fahad alleged that “a plan orchestrated by an Arab country” had been carried out by two high-ranking Somali officials—one of whom he claimed had held the Ministry of Defence during the term of the previous president, while the other had led the army under the current administration.
Although Fahad stopped short of naming names, his message was widely interpreted as a direct attack on Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, who served as Minister of Defence before his current post. The Ports Minister’s blistering response appeared to confirm that interpretation.
While Minister Jama never directly named Fahad Yasin in his lengthy rebuttal, insiders close to the minister confirmed that the statement was squarely aimed at the former intelligence chief. In the statement, Minister Jama painted a dark portrait of Fahad’s tenure in government, accusing him of being an ideological extremist, a sympathizer and enabler of the Al-Shabaab militant group, and a key figure in what he termed a “criminal conspiracy” to hijack the Somali state.
“Behind the scenes, he was one of the most ruthless individuals ever to rise alongside the Khawarij [a derogatory term often used to refer to Al-Shabaab] due to being indoctrinated with a radical, takfiri ideology,” Minister Jama wrote. “He wrongly took the microphone without any training in journalism and became the loudest mouthpiece for terrorism. Eventually, the extremists succeeded in infiltrating state institutions using him.”
Minister Jama further accused Fahad of:
- Halting military offensives against Al-Shabaab during his time in office;
- Redirecting government efforts inward, sowing division within state institutions;
- Providing Al-Shabaab with access to key financial infrastructure such as markets, banks, remittance firms, ports, and airports;
- Assisting the group in establishing an underground economy more lucrative than the official state budget;
- Embedding extremists within the government to secure intelligence dominance;
- Working towards a complete militant takeover of Somalia, only to be stopped when he was ousted from power.
The minister’s furious statement comes three years after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reclaimed the presidency from Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, whose tenure was marked by allegations of secretive governance and undue influence from Fahad Yasin. Jama’s statement suggests that the current administration is still working to dismantle the networks and policies established during that era.
“All the wires he had knotted have been untied, and the grand scheme has been dismantled,” Jama declared triumphantly, referencing the reversal of policies and appointments made during Fahad’s influence.
The verbal clash has unfolded publicly, via social media and press channels, triggering intense political debate across Somalia. It is emblematic of the deep divisions in the Somali political elite, particularly between factions aligned with the current president and those still loyal to former president Farmaajo and his allies.
Fahad, who is believed to be living abroad following his controversial exit from public office, remains a polarising figure. He has yet to issue a direct rebuttal to Jama’s counterattack.
