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Puntland Leader Sacks Police Chief

Garowe Online (Garowe)

NEWS
27 May 2008
Posted to the web 28 May 2008
Puntland
The president of Somalia's semiautonomous northern region of Puntland has
issued a decree firing the region's police chief, Col. Abdiaziz Ga'amey.
The decree, which was presented to the media Tuesday by Information Minister
Abdirahman Bangah, accused the former Puntland police chief failing to stop "a
string of explosions in Bossaso," the region's commercial capital.
Col. Ga'amey was replaced by Gani Mohamed Haji, formerly the commander of the
Armo Police Academy, which is located south of Bossaso.
Those who know Mr. Gani Mohamed tell Garowe Online that he is a career police
officer who has received training in foreign countries.
Inside sources indicate that Mr. Gani has issued two conditions before
accepting the post of police chief in Puntland.
Mr. Gani has demanded that both the Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS) and a
new private militia established by foreign oil companies to protect assets come
under the direct authority of the Puntland police chief, according to
government sources.
However, Gen. Adde Muse, the Puntland leader, is not too fond of the idea. Mr.
Gani's predecessor had issued similar demands, a factor insiders believe led to
his ultimate dismissal.
But Col. Ga'amey has rejected reports that he was fired, arguing instead that
he resigned from his post after witnessing police officers work for 9 months
without pay.
In recent months, Puntland has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence,
including militia shootouts with police and assassinations of PIS agents inside
Bossaso.
Most recently, attacks have been launched against equipment belonging to a
Canadian oil company - Africa Oil Corp. - which is hoping to explore for oil in
chaotic Somalia.

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