Shop owners in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, are caught in a deadly predicament as the government mandates CCTV camera installations to combat Al-Shabaab insurgents. The directive, aimed at improving security, has left business owners vulnerable to threats from both sides—facing potential violence from Al-Shabaab if they comply, and risking arrest by authorities if they do not.
Hamza Nuur, a former shop owner, shared his ordeal after selling his business to avoid these pressures. “You’re told not to remove the cameras by one side and to install them by the other. Either choice could mean a bullet or a prison cell,” Nuur told the BBC.
Since the government order last year, Al-Shabaab has killed four shopkeepers in 10 attacks linked to CCTV installations, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (Acled). Many businesses in Mogadishu’s main markets have also closed temporarily due to the escalating violence.
Mogadishu’s Deputy Mayor Mohamed Ahmed Diriye claimed the policy has reduced bombings, but residents and shop owners report feeling more unsafe. Al-Shabaab operatives have reportedly used their spy network to identify civilians complying with the government’s directive, further heightening fears.
Some residents, like shopkeeper Ismael Hashi, reopened their businesses but continue to feel unsafe. “Every time someone unfamiliar enters my shop, I wonder if they’re here to kill me,” Hashi said. Others, like Sidow Abdullahi Mohamed, were detained for failing to install cameras at their homes.
Critics argue the government’s approach has placed undue burden on civilians. “We’re forced to buy and install cameras while risking violence from Al-Shabaab. Is this how the government plans to win hearts and minds?” Mohamed said.
As tensions escalate, many residents question whether the government can protect them while enforcing policies that appear to deepen insecurity and fear in Mogadishu.