\n was kidnapped by three armed NISA officers shortly after leaving his
\nworkplace on Maka Al-Mukarama Avenue in Somalia\u2019s capital, Mogadishu.
\nMascuud was held in a NISA detention facility until his release on 8
\nAugust 2026 without charge and was never brought before a court.<\/p>\n
For the first time, Mascuud Warsame has spoken to SJS about his ordeal inside the NISA detention facility.<\/p>\n
Mascuud, 35, said that on the night of his abduction, three NISA
He was later transferred to a second detention facility near
Mascuud revealed that while held at the facility known as “Godka
“Throughout my detention, I was held in a dark and hot cell. There
Mascuud described a harrowing experience that caused his health to
During his 39 days in NISA detention, Mascuud said he was allowed to speak to his wife only twice.<\/p>\n “They gave me a phone and the officer said to me, \u2018Do not tell them
While in the cell, Mascuud said he lost his appetite and rarely spoke
One morning, a NISA officer told Mascuud that SJS was advocating for
Mascuud\u2019s detention began after a Facebook page associated with the Southwest State presidency was reportedly<\/a> hacked and its content deleted, as SJS had previously reported<\/a>.
“The interrogation then shifted to why I was criticizing Adan
\t Among the reports specifically mentioned during the interrogations was a piece published<\/a> on Xogbile\u2019s Facebook page on 2 June 2026 that questioned the credibility of the Southwest State elections. Another report, published on 1 May 2026<\/a>, examined what Xogbile described as failures in Adan Madobe\u2019s previous leadership.<\/p>\n The final interrogation took place on 29 July, when a NISA officer
“He said to me that they were waiting for a decision to release me,\u201d Mascuud said.<\/p>\n Upon his release on Saturday, 8 August, Mascuud was already weak and
SJS welcomes the release of Mascuud Warsame. However, it is deeply
SJS has previously expressed concerns that NISA, which is not a
We call for an immediate end to the use of intelligence and security
“SJS welcomes the release of our colleague
\nofficers drove him to a police station in Hodan district, central
\nMogadishu, where he was held until the following day without food or
\nwater. He said NISA commander in charge of Southwest State, Salah Abdi Nur<\/a>, also known as Moalin Salah, interrogated him in his cell for most of the night, depriving him of sleep.<\/p>\n
\nMogadishu port, which security sources described as one of NISA\u2019s
\nlargest detention facilities.<\/p>\n
\nJilaow 2,\u201d he was repeatedly interrogated about his social media
\nactivity and Xogbile\u2019s reporting critical of the new Southwest State
\nleadership. According to security sources, Godka Jilaow 2 is a prison
\nfacility primarily used to hold suspected Al-Shabaab militants.<\/p>\n
\nwere other inmates also detained in the cell where I stayed,\u201d Mascuud
\ntold SJS.<\/p>\n
\ndeteriorate while in detention. He said he collapsed twice inside the
\ncell and was subsequently taken to a doctor under the observation of
\narmed NISA officers.<\/p>\n
\nabout your situation or where you are being held. Just say to them I am
\nOK and I will come,\u2019 which I did,\u201d he said. “There was nothing else I
\ncould do because they were threatening me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n to other inmates because he felt depressed. He also said his stomach
\ncondition worsened because the food provided to detainees was of poor
\nnutritional quality and insufficient.<\/p>\n
\nhis release. He said this was when the pressure on him began to ease,
\nand officers subsequently told him several times that he would soon be
\nreleased, although it was delayed twice.<\/p>\n
\n He said that when he was initially taken into detention, officers
\nquestioned him about the Southwest State Facebook page, with which he
\nsaid he had no connection.<\/p>\n
\nMadobe,\u201d Mascuud said, referring to Southwest State\u2019s new leader, Adan
\nMohamed Nur “Madobe,\u201d who is also the former Speaker of Somalia\u2019s Lower
\nHouse of Parliament.<\/p>\n![\"Mascuud](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Mascuud-.jpg\" "\\"Mascuud")
\n\t\tMascuud Warsame. | Photo credit: Mascuud Warsame.
\n\t\t
<\/p>\n
\ntold Mascuud that he would be released. However, his release was delayed
\n for several more days.<\/p>\n
\nsuffering from a high fever. After seeing a doctor, he said he was
\ndiagnosed with malaria and allergic conditions that he developed while
\nin detention.<\/p>\n
\ntroubling that he spent 39 days in a detention facility reportedly used
\nby NISA for suspected Al-Shabaab detainees, where his health
\ndeteriorated, he was denied regular access to his family and legal
\nrepresentation, and he was never brought before a judge.<\/p>\n
\nlawful arresting authority, is repeatedly being used to target,
\nintimidate and harass journalists simply because of reporting deemed
\nunfavorable by the authorities.<\/p>\n
\nagencies to unlawfully detain journalists and interfere with their work.
\n Journalists must be allowed to carry out their professional duties
\nwithout fear of abduction, intimidation or arbitrary detention.<\/p>\n
\nMascuud Warsame, however his 39 days of arbitrary detention without
\ncharge or access to a judge are deeply disturbing. No journalist should
\nbe abducted, held incommunicado, or subjected to intimidation, denial of
\n food and family access which amounts to torture,\u201d said SJS Secretary
\nGeneral, Abdalle Mumin “We call on the Somali authorities to end the
\nmisuse of NISA against journalists and ensure that media freedom and due
\n process are respected.\u201d<\/p>\n