Somali police late Wednesday confirmed the arrest at a hotel in Mogadishu of a senior advisor to the President of semi autonomous state of Puntland.
The arrest comes after Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni rejected what he described as “unilateral attempts” by the Somali federal government to amend the country’s provisional constitution.
The advisor, identified by authorities as Ahmed Abdi Mahamud Hurre, was detained at the Airport Hotel in Mogadishu. According to witnesses and local reports, the arrest occurred while Hurre was meeting with several members of the Somali federal parliament.
In a statement released shortly after the raid, the Somali police defended the move as a matter of national security.
“The Somali Police Force is fulfilling its national duties, and tonight the suspect, Ahmed Abdi Mahamud Hurre, who was involved in activities threatening security, was apprehended,” it said in a statement.
An investigation is currently underway.
MP Sareedo Mohamed Hassan Jeyte on social media alleged that security forces stormed the hotel and held representatives at gunpoint.
“We were attacked by Somali police forces who entered the Airport Hotel where I stay,” Jeyte added.
The arrest comes at a period of heightened political friction in Mogadishu.
Tensions have surged between the federal government and opposition figures over a contentious constitutional review process.
MG/as/APA