Addis Abeba– Juweria Subcis, a member of the ruling Prosperity Party Central Committee and the Somali regional state Parliament was shot and killed “deliberately”, Mohamed Guray, Deputy Chief of Security of the Somali regional state confirmed to Addis Standard.
Juweria Subcis was shot dead by a member of a federal police officer inside the Jigjiga Garad Wilwal Airport in the region’s capital on 25 October. The shooting left three others including her sister, Ayan Subics, and a regional cabinet member, Abdirashid Mohammed, severely injured.
Mohammed says the circumstance of Juweria’s shooting was deliberate, and that “there was some quarrel between him [the police] and the MP, and the police officer acted on his own.” Noting that the investigation is still at early stages, Mohammed, however, said that the killing was not “political.” The regional police has announced that the officer was detained and being investigated.
Protests were held yesterday in in 05 and 06 Kebeles in Jigjiga, including in the vicinity of the victim’s house, according to Siraje Abdikadir, a lecturer at Jigjiga University.
The protesters were demanding the body of the late MP not be buried until justice was served. The regional security forces responded to the protest by firing tear gas and other measures that resulted in injury and arrest of civilians, Siraj told Addis Standard.
Aasiya Abdi, a member of the regional council, and Ayanle, a journalist working for Shakaal TV, are among the injured by the regional police during the crackdown on the protests, according to Siraj, who added that human rights activist Ibrahim Abdikadir and Abdi Barud are also detained by regional police.
Deputy Chief of Security however, denied the injury and arrest of the individuals during yesterday’s protest and said that nothing has happened in relation to the protest.
According to Siraj the situation in the city is relatively stable today than it was yesterday but “streets and shops are still closed especially in 05 and 06 kebeles”.
An alumna of YALI 2021, Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Juweria, 26, was not only a member of Somalia’s region parliament and a central committee members of the prosperity party, she was also the CEO of Ogaden Welfare Society, a non-governmental organization engaged in providing relief support to the needy.
She is survived by her two children. AS
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