MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s opposition leaders suffered a major political setback on Wednesday after storming a Mogadishu police station with heavily armed militias, a move that quickly spiraled into gunfire and left them accused of recklessness.
The raid on Warta Nabadda police station came only hours after authorities had already arrested security officers accused of assaulting an elderly man — an incident that had stirred nationwide anger.
What might have been a moment to highlight police brutality instead turned into a confrontation that analysts say has left the opposition weakened and embarrassed.
From outrage to escalation
The day began with fury after a video circulated on social media showing security forces brutally beating Sheikh Ahmed Siicow, an elderly resident of Mogadishu’s Siinaay district. The images sparked outrage across the capital.
In a rare act of swift accountability, Banadir police commander Macallin Mahdi announced the arrest of five officers suspected of involvement. At a press conference held inside Warta Nabadda station, Mahdi presented the men before cameras and apologized directly to the victim. “We will not tolerate such abuses,” he pledged.
But the story did not end there. Later in the afternoon, opposition leaders descended on the station with a convoy of heavily armed guards. According to police, they attempted to force their way inside, triggering clashes with government forces who were guarding the detainees.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as gunfire echoed through the city center. Several casualties were reported, and police vehicles were damaged.
Mahdi accused the opposition of trying to “destabilize Mogadishu” and warned that such actions would no longer be tolerated. Defence Minister Ahmed Fiqi went further, urging prosecutors to charge the leaders, calling their raid “terrorist-style tactics.”
A costly miscalculation
Analysts say the opposition badly miscalculated. With the abusive officers already in custody, their armed march to the station looked less like a defense of justice and more like an attempt to hijack the process.
“Anytime you go to a police station with an armed convoy, you are already in the wrong, no matter who fires first,” said Hussein Abdirahman, a Mogadishu-based analyst.
The opposition had hoped to ride public anger over police brutality. Instead, their actions overshadowed the arrests and shifted attention onto themselves. What could have been a chance to demand reform ended as a self-inflicted wound.
“They wanted to look like champions of justice,” said a local journalist. “But they ended up looking like men with guns and no plan.”
A self-inflicted blow
Government officials have vowed to pursue justice both against the officers who beat Sheikh Ahmed and the opposition leaders who brought militias to Warta Nabadda. The Ministry of Information condemned the incident as an attempted power grab, warning that politicians who behave like warlords would be held accountable for their actions.
For the opposition, the fallout is already evident. Instead of gaining sympathy, they now face ridicule and legal jeopardy. With elections approaching, their credibility has taken a hit, raising doubts about whether they can present themselves as a responsible alternative to the government.
What happened at Warta Nabadda was meant to project strength. Instead, it revealed weakness. Far from rallying public support, the opposition left the station diminished, humiliated, and exposed.