Somalia: Forged Somali passports seized in Mogadishu
Head of Somali Immigration Department, General Abdullahi Gafow Mohamud
The head of Somali Immigration Department, General Abdullahi Gafow Mohamud, warned against the use of the discontinued, green Somali passport “by terrorists and those who want to damage the reputation of the Somali Federal Government”. Mr Gafow’s statement came after Somali security forces have paraded two men who had tried to smuggle forged Somali passports into Hargeisa. One of the men said he was born in Hargeisa, a subtle way to disclose the identity of his clan.
“The Green passport is no longer in use. A new passport has been issued. The two men were carrying a bag full of 42 old, green passports and 52 new , passports when they were arrested at Aden Adde International Airport. It is crime to use the green passport for visas. All passports we seized are bearing Sudanese visas. Sudanese Embassy in Mogadishu knows the green passport has been discontinued. I think those visas were forged” said General Gafow.
One of the men arrested, Abduqani Omar Osman, said passports “ belong to students in Hargeisa. I am Somali, born in Hargeisa. I came to Mogadishu to collect visas for students in Hargeisa. I have a visa and am going to Sudan. Students are in Sudanese-sponsored schools in Hargeisa” he said.
General Gafow said a Tanzanian man carrying the discontinued, green Somali passport forged in Tel Aviv was arrested at Mogadishu International airport 29 August. “I can’t understand why our passport has been forged in Israel. We have made it clear that the green passport is used to commit acts of terrorism and drug smuggling,” General Gafow said.
Sudanese Embassy in Mogadishu has not issued any statement on the visas and the report that seized passports were for students in Sudan-sponsored schools in Hargeisa, the seat of Somaliland administration.
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