On the morning of 18 December 2025, journalist Abdullahi Abdikadir Nur, popularly known as Abdullaahi Wadani, was detained by police in the central city of Dhusamareeb, Galmudug State, he later told CPJ.
Abdullahi Wadani, editor-in-chief of Radio Daar-Dheer, a local community station, said he was responding to a call from Mustaf Salad, deputy commander of Dhusamareeb Police Station, ordering him to report to the station. He was not informed of any alleged wrongdoing. Instead, he was placed in a holding cell with individuals accused of serious crimes, including murder.
The arrest followed Abdullahi Wadani’s video report on Facebook, where he regularly publishes news, that Faysal Ahmed Gurey, a member of the state parliament, had criticized leaders of the Dhusamareeb administration on Facebook for “refusing” to install streetlights to help curb crime.
Abdullahi Wadani found another journalist, Abdullahi Abdi Hersi, also in detention, having been arrested the previous evening over a similar report.
On December 18, Faisal visited the two journalists at the station where the commander Nur Elmi said that they had “insulted state leaders” and such people “belong in jail,” the lawmaker told CPJ.
Abdullahi Wadani said that during questioning, Nur Elmi accused him of insulting local leaders but the police officer did not provide further details.
On December 20, 2025, Abdullahi Wadani was released without charge, through a guarantor process, by which he signed a document stating that he would refrain from critically reporting on the Galmudug administration.
CPJ did not receive responses to its March 2026 queries via email to the Galmudug State House and the Ministry of Internal Security, and via messaging app and text message to station commander Nur Elmi and Galmudug police commander Khalif Abdulle Maalin.