Metro

Somali journalist killed in suicide bombing in Mogadishu

Published

7 months ago

October 17, 2023

A prominent Somali television journalist, Abdifatah Moalim Nur Qeys has been killed in a suicide bombing attack on Monday evening at a restaurant in the capital Mogadishu, the police said in a statement on Tuesday.

The police statement said Qeys, who was a director at the Somali Cable Television, was fatally injured in the explosion at Blue Sky restaurant near the national museum. Al-Shabab militants claimed the attack via their telegram channel.

“At around 21:00, a Khawarij suicide bomber detonated explosives on people who were having tea outside the Blue Sky restaurant in Bondhere district,” police in Mogadishu said in a brief statement.

Khawarij, or “deviants,” is a term the government uses to refer to al-Shabab.

“In the tragic incident on Monday evening, a suicide bomber struck a popular restaurant in Mogadishu, resulting in multiple casualties. Among those affected was Abdifatah Moalim Nur Qeys, the director of the Mogadishu branch of Somali Cable Television, who lost his life in the attack at the Blue Sky restaurant,” the statement said.

“The restaurant situated near the National Museum and the heavily fortified presidential palace, Villa Somalia, had previously been targeted by a suicide bomb in 2020, resulting in three fatalities and seven injuries. The recent attack left four other individuals injured.

“Security forces provided assistance to those impacted by the attack. There is an ongoing investigation, and any updates will be shared with the public,” the police added.

The Al-Shabab militant group, in claiming responsibility for the devastating blast, stated in the Telegram message that a suicide bomber was behind the attack

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), in a statement condemning the attack, said it was “deeply shaken by the senseless and brutal killing of Qeys, the director of the privately owned Somali Cable Television.’

“His remarkable career and unwavering dedication have left an indelible mark on Somali journalism, inspiring countless young journalists to strive for excellence”.

Qeys is the first Somalian journalist to be killed this year in a suicide bombing.

In October last year, another journalist, Mohamed Isse Hassan was among more than 100 people killed in twin car bombings in Mogadishu. A month earlier, a reporter with state-owned Somali National Television, Ahmed Mohamed Shukur, was killed by a landmine near the capital.

The Somali Cable Television station also confirmed Qeys’ death in a Facebook post.

“He was pronounced dead after we brought him to Recep Tayyip Erdogan hospital,” Abdishakur Mohamed Mohamud, who was among the journalists who took Qeys to the hospital, said.

“He had shrapnel on the upper part of his body,” he told VOA Somali.

Related Topics:Al-Shabab Journalist Featured Somalia Suicide Bomb

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Metro

Conservationist, Kearns, names intolerance and digital media abuse as threats to media freedom

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nsama Kearns, the Executive Director of Care for Nature, speaks on the indispensable role of a free media in society.

In a conversation with Zambia Monitor in Mansa, Luapula Province, Kearns underscored the importance of media freedoms, digital rights, and freedom of speech in enhancing good governance.

“Let me begin with the criticality of media freedom, especially for those of us involved in information dissemination through mass media, including social media,” she remarked.

While acknowledging the existence of media freedoms in Zambia, Kearns expressed concerns about the prevailing situation.

“Despite media freedoms in Zambia, as reported in the 2022 human rights report, there are instances where the government may display intolerance towards criticism, especially if perceived as politically motivated,” she observed.

Regarding freedom of speech, Kearns emphasized the necessity for individuals to express themselves without fear of reprisal.

“Whether communicating through written or oral means, individuals should be able to express themselves freely without intimidation or fear of repercussions,” she stressed.

Kearns highlighted the significance of freedom of expression in enabling civil society to address issues that might be inconvenient for the government.

“For instance, in Luapula Province, longstanding issues such as illegal mining and the Mukula tree trade, involving politically exposed persons, have been challenging to address,” she explained.

Despite challenges, Kearns noted the positive impact of digital media in driving social enterprise.

However, she also highlighted the prevalence of abuse, particularly targeting women, on social media platforms.

“While digital media presents opportunities for social entrepreneurship, individuals, especially women, often face abuse online, hindering their enjoyment of human rights,” Kearns lamented.

She called for the creation of safe spaces to empower individuals to report abuse to the Zambia Information Communication Authority (ZICTA) and address issues of digital media abuse and intolerance effectively.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

I saved Nigeria from bankruptcy by removing fuel subsidy— Tinubu

Published

11 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, boasted that he saved Nigeria from going bankrupt by removing fuel subsidy on his first day in office.

Tinubu had, in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, pronounced that his administration would discontinue fuel subsidy payments and though the ripple effect of the removal has brought untold hardship and hunger, the President has continued to praise his courage in taking that decisive action.

Tinubu who spoke at the Special World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, admitted that though the policy came with economic pains, it was in the best interest of Nigerians, affirming that the move has save the government money for infrastructural expansion.

While addressing his audience, Tinubu argued that removing the petrol subsidy was a necessary action for Nigeria not to go bankrupt and to reset the economy towards growth.

Tinubu said that the petrol subsidy removal equally engendered accountability, transparency and physical discipline for the country.

“Concerning the question of the subsidy removal, there is no doubt that it was a necessary action for my country not to go bankrupt, to reset the economy and pathway to growth,” Tinubu said.

“Yes, there have been drawbacks. Yes, there was the expectation that a greater number of people would feel the difficulty, but, of course, I believed it was their interest that was the focus of government.

“It is easier to manage and explain the difficulties, but along the line, there was a parallel arrangement to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on the vulnerable population of the country.

“We shared the pain across the board. We cannot but include those who are very vulnerable. Luckily, we have a very vibrant youthful population interested in discoveries by themselves, highly ready for technology, good education, and committed to growth,” Tinubu explained.