(11-08-23) MOGADISHU – Mogadishu police apprehended Abdulkadir Abukar Ahmed, a 20-year-old suspected contract killer, on Friday, believed to be responsible for the assassination of prominent businessman and engineer, Isak Aden Ali. Mr Ali, a property investor with extensive contracts at Halane Camp and owner of the company IAG, was a significant employer in the region.
The tragic incident unfolded in Hodan district, Mogadishu, as Mr Ali was leaving a mosque after Friday prayer. He was the brother of the former governor of Lower Shabelle region, Ibrahim Aden Ali Najah.
According to security officials, Ahmed confessed to being a contract killer, revealing that he was paid 1000 dollars for the assassination. The contract was carried out via phone call, with payment made in two parts, though Ahmed claims to have never met his clients.
Those acquainted with the contractor suspect that the assassination may be linked to contracts and business opportunities, possibly stemming from business rivalry.
The deceased, originally from Lower Shabelle region in Southwest State but based in Mogadishu, was engaged in executing contracts worth millions of dollars. These significant contracts were often awarded by UN agencies, the African Union, and other international organisations.
After the killing, the suspect was pursued by the deceased’s son, who encountered security officers during the chase. Ahmed was subsequently captured but not before being wounded in a gunfire exchange.
This arrest marks significant progress in a series of troubling targeted killings. Just last Tuesday, Ahmed is believed to have been behind the killing of traditional elder Salad Ali Wayd, also in Mogadishu. Family members of the elder found a photograph on his mobile phone, inadvertently captured by the killer as he attempted to unlock the device. When police photographed Ahmed, the images matched, confirming his involvement in both crimes.
The apprehension of Ahmed brings both relief and grave concern as the shadowy nature of the contract killing and the involvement of unknown clients raises new questions about the underlying motives and potential threats in Mogadishu.
