Jubbaland President Madobe sacks fugitive minister
Somalia’s Jubbaland State President, Ahmed Madobe, has sacked fugitive Interior Minister Abdirashid Janan.
Mr Janan, who has been on the run since March last year, is expected to surrender to the Somali Federal Government.
He had been hiding in Mandera, northern Kenya after escaping from custody in Mogadishu in December 2019.
His surrender comes as a relief for Mandera residents who have in the recent past said Mr Janan is a security threat to them.
He crossed into Mandera in December 2019 after escaping from a Mogadishu jail where he faced criminal charges.
A section of security officers that had crossed into Mandera with him clashed with the Somalia National Army in March 2020, a fight that affected Mandera town.
A year later, the Federal Government of Somalia sent in more military officers and another fight broke out. It was during the January clash that Mr Janan lost majority of his soldiers to the army.
Most of the fighters loyal to the fugitive minister were arrested while others surrendered.
“This wanted minister has been weakened at the moment and the only option for him was to surrender,” said Mr Ali Hassan, a resident of Bulahawa.
In Mandera, the minister’s Kapedo camp was yet to be closed despite the reported developments.
