MOGADISHU, (HAN) — The Federal Government of Somalia has launched a full-scale investigation to identify those responsible for facilitating the deadly Al-Shabaab attack on the Godka Jilacow detention center — a high-security facility operated by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and used to detain and interrogate suspected militants.
According to an official government statement, the attackers arrived in a vehicle and wore uniforms identical to those of Somali security forces, allowing them to approach the heavily guarded compound without raising suspicion.
Security agencies are now focusing their probe on several key questions, including:
• How the militants obtained government-style uniforms and a vehicle painted to resemble an official one;
• Where the explosives used in the assault were prepared, and who may have provided inside information about the facility;
• The precise number of casualties and attackers involved, as conflicting reports continue to emerge;
• And how an armed group managed to breach one of the most secure sites in central Mogadishu.
The attack occurred just a day after the government reopened 52 major roads across the capital, raising public concern about whether the timing was coincidental.
This incident marks Al-Shabaab’s first major assault in Mogadishu in 2025, breaking a period of relative calm that had lasted for several years.
Godka Jilacow, located near the presidential palace, is regarded as one of Somalia’s most secure detention centers. Until now, Al-Shabaab had never succeeded in penetrating its defenses.