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Somaliland police raid and shut down independent newspaper
NEW YORK – Police in the semi-autonomous republic of Somaliland on December 13 raided the Hargeisa offices of the critical independent daily Hubaal, arrested two staff members, and ordered the publication to be shut down, according to news reports. This is the third time the paper has been targeted this year.
Police told Hubaal staff to turn off their cellphones, and ordered them to leave the offices, according to news reports. Mustafa Mohamed, a reporter, and Osman Ahmed, an IT specialist, were arrested, but were released today with no explanation.
Mohamed Ahmed Jama, managing director of the paper and the owner of Hubaal Media Network, which publishes the paper,has gone into hiding, a representative of the Somaliland Journalists Association told CPJ. The offices were closed today. It is unclear if the paper will resume publishing.
Somaliland Police Commissioner Gen. Abdullahi Fadal told local journalists that police had a court warrant allowing them to close the offices because Hubaal had recently published stories that were dangerous to the country’s internal security.
Hubaal had published a story that claimed the police were divided into two rival groups. The police commissioner denied the allegations on public television the day before the raid, local journalists said.
“Authorities must put an end to this repeated harassment of journalists at Hubaal,” said CPJ East Africa Representative Tom Rhodes. “Somaliland will never achieve its democratic aspirations if the press does not feel empowered to report critically on the government.”
In June, the Attorney General filed criminal charges against Mohamed and Hassan Hussein, editor of Hubaal, and suspended the newspaper for more than a month on defamation charges. Police detained Mohamed and Hassan for one day a week later, local journalists said. In August, President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud issued a presidential pardon dropping all charges against Mohamed and Hassan.
Two masked gunmen raided the Hubaal offices on April 24 and fired at Mohamed, whose arm and finger were broken in the attack, according to news reports. The gunmen were later identified as police officers. The attack followed a series of critical articles published in Hubaal that accused the government of nepotism and misuse of office.
Authorities arrested one of the gunmen implicated in the April raid on Hubaal, but he was released without being charged and without a court hearing, local journalists said. The Military Court Chairman Brigadier-General Yusuf Farah claimed the gunman, Ahmed
Hassan, could not be held for more than 180 days since the complainants had not followed up with the case, according to news reports.
Journalists staged a protest over Ahmed Hassan’s release on December 3, according to news reports. But police detained four journalists for six days on charges of holding an illegal protest, local journalists told CPJ.
Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa has been signed up by Jaiz Bank as a brand ambassador.
An elated Musa made the disclosure in a statement on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Thursday.
The Kano Pillars striker urged his fans to troop to Jaiz Bank to do business for trusting him with the new role.
He exclaimed, “And to my amazing fans – if you want to support me, make sure to head over to Jaiz Bank and open your accounts with them today! ”
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He wrote, “✨Alhamdulillah✨ I am SO excited to announce that I’ve officially joined Jaiz Bank as their newest ambassador! 🎉💼
“A huge thank you to @JaizBankNG for trusting me and allowing me to be a part of this amazing journey! 🙏🏼💚 It’s an honor to represent a brand that believes in growth, security, and financial empowerment.
“I can’t wait to share all the incredible things we’ll be doing together! 🚀💡
And to my amazing fans – if you want to support me, make sure to head over to Jaiz Bank and open your accounts with them today! Let’s grow together! 💪🏼🔑
“@JaizBankNG is a non interest Financial institution poised with a mission to make life better through ethical Finance. 👌👌”
#NewBeginnings #BankWithJaizBank #PartneredUp #TeamJaizBank”
On November 20, 2024, Kenya’s First Lady, Rachel Ruto, celebrated her 56th birthday and her husband President William Ruto publicly expressed his love and appreciation for his wife on this special day, wishing her well.
The birthday celebrations were marked by an outpouring of goodwill from political figures, media, and citizens across Kenya, who praised her for her grace, leadership, and significant contributions to society, particularly through initiatives like the Joyful Women Organisation, which aims to empower rural women.
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The day was characterized by a collective acknowledgment of her role as a national figure dedicated to community upliftment.
In a heartfelt message, President William Ruto took to social media, writing, “Happy birthday my love, @MamaRachelRuto. Continue being a blessing to me and our children. Mungu akubariki sana,” which translates to “God bless you abundantly.”
Other prominent leaders also extended their wishes to the First Lady, with Anne Waiguru, EGH, OGW, Governor of Kirinyaga County, tweeting, “Happy Birthday First Lady,” further showing the respect and admiration for Rachel Ruto’s leadership and impact.
A gas cylinder explosion at a filling station in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State has resulted in significant damage to six vehicles, according to a statement from the Katsina State Police Command.
The command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Friday, November 15, 2024.
He explained that a loud explosion alerted police operatives from the Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters. Responding promptly, the Divisional Police Officer led a team to the site, supported by military personnel.
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“Upon arrival, operatives found a truck loaded with gas cylinders engulfed in flames at Tamal filling station, along Kagadama-Magamar Jibia Road,” Sadiq-Aliyu stated. The joint team acted swiftly, deploying measures to protect lives and limit property damage. Their efforts successfully extinguished the fire.
The spokesperson added, “Six motor vehicles were significantly affected by the fire incident, but fortunately, no life was lost.”
State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, has directed a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. Updates on the findings will be provided as investigations progress.
This incident highlights the need for heightened safety measures at gas filling stations to prevent such occurrences.
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