On September 30, 2025, authorities in the breakaway region of Somaliland detained Abdirahman Abdilahi Essa, widely known as Abdirahman Jumbo, for four days at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in the capital, Hargeisa, the journalist told CPJ.
Abdirahman, who runs Facebook and YouTube-based Sumad Somali TV, said he was accused of publishing a false news report about the governor of north-west Awdal region. He did not respond to requests for additional details or share a copy of the report and CPJ was unable to locate it online.
Abdirahman told CPJ that officials confiscated some of his work equipment when they arrested him, including his cell phones, but returned them when he was released without charge. Abdirahman said he experienced abdominal pain in detention.
The Somaliland Journalists Association, a rights group, said Abdirahman was released after the governor withdrew unspecified allegations against him. It reminded journalists of their “great responsibility to verify the information and news they publish,” without specifying whether it considered Abdirahman’s reporting inaccurate.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but it has not been recognized internationally.
CPJ’s October 2025 emails requesting comment from Somaliland’s information ministry and police did not receive any responses.