On October 16, 2025, police officers in Somalia’s north-central city of Galkayo arrested journalist Kaafiin Mohamed Abdi over his plans to report on lorry drivers’ protests, according to the Somali Journalists Syndicate and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ after his release.
The northern half of Galkayo is part of Puntland and the southern half is in Galmudug — two of the six federal states that make up Somalia.
Kaafiin, a reporter with Galmudug State TV, told CPJ that earlier that day he had been contacted by lorry owners and drivers who were dissatisfied with a new tax imposed by the Galmudug Ministry of Finance. The drivers and vehicle owners intended to hold a press conference to voice their concerns and invited Kaafiin to cover their story.
Kaafiin went to the section of the road where the lorries were parked to determine how best to report the story. While speaking with the drivers and lorry owners and deciding whom to interview, police officers from a nearby Galmudug security checkpoint arrived and began firing shots into the air to disperse the gathering.
Kaafiin was arrested and taken to South Gaalkayo Central Police Station. His camera, cell phone, and Galmudug State TV staff identification card were confiscated.
At the police station, authorities accused Kaafiin of recording a security checkpoint without authorization, the journalist told CPJ.
He was detained for approximately four hours. Following interventions by fellow journalists and officials from the Galmudug Ministry of Information, he was released later that day without charge.
CPJ did not receive responses to emailed requests for comment sent to the president’s office and the ministry of internal security of Galmudug State.