MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has launched a sharp rebuke against Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, accusing him of promoting division and undermining national unity amid a deepening row over a weapons-laden ship seized by PMPF near Bareeda town last week.
In remarks delivered in Mogadishu, Minister Fiqi said federalism is a system of governance meant to promote administrative cooperation and unity, not a tool for regional leaders to challenge or weaken the central government.
“Federalism is a framework for shared governance, not a weapon to fragment the Somali people,” he said, urging political leaders to resist using federal structures for narrow political interests.
Fiqi also criticized Puntland’s seizure of a vessel reportedly carrying heavy weapons, describing it as a “disgrace” that a lawfully operating ship could be portrayed as a war prize.
“It is shameful to declare a legally navigating ship a bounty. Such actions politicize national security and damage the integrity of Somali waters,” Fiqi added.
His comments come as Puntland authorities confirmed they had intercepted a ship off their coast allegedly carrying unauthorized weapons. The regional government claimed the vessel entered its waters illegally, while the federal government has yet to publicly confirm the vessel’s origin or intent.
The incident has deepened tensions between the federal government in Mogadishu and the semi-autonomous Puntland administration, highlighting persistent disputes over security coordination, maritime jurisdiction, and the limits of regional autonomy.
The Puntland leadership has not formally responded to Fiqi’s remarks.
