Authorities in the Galmudug town of Dhusamareb arrested the Chair of the National Independent Electoral Commission Mrs Halima Ismail Ibrahim on Friday under unclear circumstances, Radio Dalsan reports.
Mrs. Ibrahim had arrived in Dhusamareb when her vehicle was stopped and searched at a checkpoint.
Her bodyguard was disarmed of his AK 47 and together with Mrs. Ibrahim and the driver were arrested.
Mrs. Ibrahim was later released.
The regional administration, however, denies that the Electoral Commission boss was arrested.
“There was a lockdown and we were checking every vehicle. One person in her vehicle was armed. We disarmed him and arrested only him and the driver” an official told Radio Dalsan.
A reliable security source confirmed to Radio Dalsan that Mrs. Ibrahim was arrested for twenty minutes.
There has been a lockdown of Dhusamareb town ahead of the arrival of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo’s who is expected to be on tour of Galmudug from Saturday.