MOGADISHU, (HAN) – The commander of Banadir regional police, Mahdi Omar Mumin, has issued a stern warning to officers after a video surfaced showing youths handling a firearm at Mogadishu Football Stadium.
Mahdi said police officers caught handing over their weapons to civilians would face prosecution, describing the practice as a direct threat to public safety. “The police clearly warn all officers not to hand over their weapons to the public. Likewise, civilians are prohibited from obtaining or playing with weapons. Videos that threaten public security will not be tolerated, and anyone involved will face strict legal action,” he said.
The warning followed the arrest of a police officer accused of giving his weapon to a group of youths, who then filmed themselves with it and circulated the footage online. A civilian linked to the incident was also detained.
Security officials say the case comes amid wider police operations in Mogadishu targeting unsafe behavior at the city’s main football ground. Several young men have been arrested at the stadium this week during a popular inter-district tournament.
Authorities say the crackdown, launched last Friday, aims to prevent further incidents and restore public confidence in security services at a time when football tournaments are drawing large crowds across the capital.
