Muqdisho (Caasimada Online) – In a brazen act of defiance that has plunged Somalia into its most severe constitutional crisis in years, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has orchestrated the seizure of a vessel carrying critical military equipment for the national army.

The move is being widely condemned as a reckless and calculated power play, escalating a political dispute into a direct challenge to the Somali state and threatening to unravel years of fragile progress toward stability.

The interception of the M/V SEA WORLD on July 18 is far more than a simple maritime incident; it is a physical manifestation of President Deni’s long-standing opposition to the federal government — a dangerous gambit that advances his regional ambitions at the expense of national security and constitutional order.

A flagrant constitutional breach

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has unequivocally denounced the seizure as an illegal “hijacking” and an act of “piracy”. The government’s position is anchored in the supreme law of the land. Article 54 of Somalia’s 2012 Provisional Constitution explicitly states that the allocation of powers for “Foreign Affairs” and “National Defense” rests exclusively with the federal government. The shipment aboard the SEA WORLD, part of a bilateral defense agreement with Türkiye, falls squarely under this mandate.  

By ordering his forces to seize a vessel carrying a legitimate, internationally-backed military shipment for the Somali National Army, President Deni has flagrantly violated the nation’s constitution and usurped powers that are not his to claim. This is not a matter of legal ambiguity — it is a direct and deliberate assault on the foundational principles of the Somali federal system.  

This provocative act is the culmination of a consistent pattern of defiance from Deni’s administration. The crisis was set in motion in March 2024, when President Deni, having boycotted national constitutional talks, led Puntland to withdraw its recognition of all federal institutions.

The withdrawal was a reaction to constitutional amendments passed by the federal parliament, which Puntland claimed were illegitimate. In its declaration, Puntland announced it would “exercise the powers of an independent State” — a threat it has now made good on with military force.

Critics point to Deni’s history of political maneuvering as evidence of a broader authoritarian streak. In 2023, his attempts to unilaterally change Puntland’s own electoral system were widely perceived as a “power grab” designed to extend his rule, sparking deadly clashes in the state capital, Garowe.

His administration has also engaged in its own foreign policy, holding meetings with Ethiopian officials without the federal government’s knowledge or consent — further cementing the impression of a leader determined to operate outside the national framework.  

Sabotaging the nation

While Deni’s administration attempts to justify the seizure under the guise of regional security, his actions have directly sabotaged the national fight against the al-Shabaab insurgency. The intercepted cargo was destined for the Turkish-run TÜRKSOM base in Mogadishu, a cornerstone of the international effort to build a professional Somali National Army.

Camp TÜRKSOM is Türkiye’s largest overseas military facility and is responsible for training the elite, Turkish-trained “Gorgor” (Eagle) commando battalions — among the most effective units fighting al-Shabaab. By halting this critical shipment of armored personnel carriers and anti-aircraft guns, Deni is actively impeding the strengthening of the very forces on the front lines of the war against terrorism.  

The chaotic nature of the seizure has further undermined security. In the immediate aftermath of the interception, reports confirmed that local civilians had looted some of the light weapons from the vessel, spreading illicit arms into a volatile region. This dangerous outcome directly contradicts Puntland’s stated goal of enhancing security and highlights the reckless consequences of Deni’s actions.

Even more alarmingly, Puntland’s presidential spokesperson has claimed that some of the weapons on board belonged not to the government, but to private arms dealers in Mogadishu who had contacted them to request the vessel’s release. This assertion — if true — suggests a murky affair that goes beyond a simple state-to-state transfer, and raises serious questions about arms proliferation that Deni’s administration has now inserted itself into.

A dangerous precedent

President Deni’s decision to hijack a national security asset for political leverage represents a grave miscalculation with potentially catastrophic consequences. It is an attack on the constitutional order, a betrayal of the national effort against terrorism, and a destabilizing action that threatens to plunge Somalia back into the widespread conflict it has fought so hard to escape.

The incident sets a hazardous precedent for other federal member states. If Puntland’s challenge succeeds without significant consequence, it could embolden other regional leaders — such as those in Jubaland, who have also had tense standoffs with Mogadishu — to follow suit.

This could lead to the progressive fragmentation of the Somali state, with each coastal region asserting its own authority and potentially creating a patchwork of competing fiefdoms.

As the M/V SEA WORLD sits under guard in Bosaso, it stands as a stark symbol of how the political ambitions of a single regional leader can jeopardize an entire nation’s security and unity.

The international community and the Somali people are now watching to see if this act of constitutional defiance will be allowed to stand — or if the rule of law will prevail over the politics of fragmentation.