The management of Somalia’s television station Horn Cable TV has rubbished claims that one of it’s journalists faced an attempted assassination by government security agents as an exaggeration and fabrication.
In a statement titled “Journalist survives Shooting assault” dated January 5 the former Secretary General of Nusoj Omar Faruk claimed that security agents had planned for the murder of Horn Cable Tv Journalist Ahmed Yusuf Suleman
Faruk claimed that on the 4 January Ahmed Yusuf Suleman was trailed by security agents after leaving his house in Waberi district. “Two men armed with pistols trailed him for some 7 minutes when they commenced firing off four shots towards Suleman. The journalist tried to run for his life but they stopped him and one of the armed men pointed the pistol in Suleman’s head in close range, attempting to shoot him multiple times but luckily the pistol malfunctioned” Faruk said in the statement.
But in a strong worded statement released by Horn Cable TV the station denies any attempt on the life of journalist Suleman.
The statement signed by Horn Cable TV Director Abdikadir Mohamed Farah says the incident was misinterpreted.
Farah says security personnel interrogated Yusuf on the streets in Waberi and the journalist ran away suspicious of the plain clothed.
“The incident which has occurred (sic) between the journalist and the security personnel was misinterpreted and it has been speculated on the other way round saying that the journalist has survived an assassination attempt” Farah stated.
“Therefore Horn Cable TV hereby clarifies that the incident has been misinterpreted and exaggerated by individuals who have special interest in doing so” he added.
The management of the television station asserts that the security agents were performing their duty.
“These individuals who are exaggerating the incident are making gains on their own interest and the reports which are saying that the journalist has survived an assassination attempt are baseless and fabricated” Farah stated.
This will not be the first time that the deposed Nusoj Secretary General has found himself in trouble over unsubstantiated statements.
The legitimate Somalia journalist union Nusoj’s Secretary General Mohamad Ibrahim Moallimu this week released a statement seeking for the investigation into claims that Omar Faruk had misused IFJ safety funds meant for October 14 victims.
Faruk has continued to claim leadership of Nusoj despite being voted out in 2013 by Somali journalists after a series of alleged fraud.
He was arrested in Ethiopia and Kenya on a number of times while UN issued a risk report assessment on him.
