The government of Somalia has urged international police (Interpol) to help the country arrest Jubbaland Security minister who wanted for crimes against humanity.
Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur, also known as Abdirashid Janan is on run after he escaped from government custody last month.
In a statement, Somali police said the Horn of Africa nation sought assistance to capture Janan, in a bid to prosecute the man for allegations of crimes he committed in southern Somalia.
“The Federal Government has via INTERPOL issued an official request for international warrant for wanted fugitive Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur,” the statement read in part.
The police called on the government of Kenya to arrest and hand over Janan to Somali government.
“The Federal Republic of Somalia places great importance on maintaining good relations with its neighbouring countries and the harbouring of a dangerous fugitive could seriously jeorpadise the good relations that has so far existed between Kenya and Somalia,” the police said.
The statement comes barely a day after Amnesty International called on Kenya government to arrest Janan who was brought in Nairobi after his escape from the detention in Mogadishu.
Janan, was arraigned at the Banadir Regional Court in Mogadishu on 6 October 2019 and thereafter detained until his escape last week.
On 28 January 2020, the deputy police commissioner of the Federal Government of Somalia, Zakia Hussein, announced that the minister had escaped.
Three days later, the chief of staff in the Office of the President of Jubaland, Abshir Mohamed, announced on Twitter that Abdirashid was “safely back home in Kismayo”.
