Somalia's Puntland arrests its presidential press officer

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Somalia's Puntland arrests its presidential press officer

GAROWE, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) Police in Somalia's Puntland State on Wednesday evening arrested senior Presidential Press Officer, Omar Mohamed Somane in the Puntland State capital, Garowe for what officials described as violating internal rule

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Omar Mohamed Somane, Special Press Officer of Puntland State President. (Photo/Facebook).

GAROWE, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) Police in Somalia's Puntland State on Wednesday evening arrested senior Presidential Press Officer, Omar Mohamed Somane in the Puntland State capital, Garowe for what officials described as violating internal rules of the presidency.

Mr. Somane, a former journalist was arrested by police who said to have obtained a warrant of arrest from the Puntland Attorney General a day earlier.

Neither the police nor the presidential officials spoke detailed reasons of Mr. Somane's detention.

On February 4, Mr. Somane posted an apology to the State authorities on his Facebook saying "I, Omar Mohamed Somane, the Special Press Officer of Puntland State President, make a full apology on inaccurate news stories about the situation of Puntland education and matters related to Sool region that were broadcast by my former Radio KNN which I worked for before I left for my new role as Puntland Presidential Press Officer."

He further went on "On January 7th, I was appointed as the Special Press Officer for Puntland State President. This is my first mission to work at a governmental office. I hope this mistake won't return. I would like to apologize my colleagues at the Office of Puntland State President as well."

Sources within the Puntland President's Office told Horn Observer that an internal infight could be blamed for Mr. Somane's jailing without giving much details on the matter. However Puntland and its affiliated state of Jubbaland have been at loggerheads against the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in Mogadishu which also made the FGS to carry aggressive intrusion into Puntland and Jubbaland systems.

It is not yet clear when he will be arraigned to the court of law.

Late on Wednesday, Puntland State President, Said Abdullahi Deni fired the Director General of the government-owned Puntland State TV and Radio, Jamal Arab Yusuf.

The president's decree which was sent to the newsrooms cited urgent need for improving the state-owned media as the reason for the sacking of the director.

(HORN OBSERVER)