Bodies in Mogadishu cemetery exhumed amid land disputes in the city

Somali media outlets reported on Saturday that families in Mogadishu’s Hamar Jajab district removed the remains of relatives buried in the Policia School Cemetery. The exhumations reportedly stem from rumours of a government directive to demolish the cemetery for development purposes. Fearing the potential disturbance of their loved ones’ resting places, families have begun relocating the bodies to safer locations.

Among those exhumed were the remains of the late comedian Abdi Muriidi Dheere (Ajakis), who passed away in September 2021. Ajakis’ family relocated his remains to a secure location to prevent “future disturbances.” Speaking to the media after the relocation, Ajakis’ son explained the family’s decision, citing rumours of impending government demolition plans for the cemetery.

Local media reports are divided on the supposed intended use of the land. Some sources claim the government plans to construct a training facility for the Somali navy, potentially with Turkish assistance following the 10-year defense and cooperation agreement signed in February this year between Somalia and Turkey to train the Somali navy. Others suggest the land will be used for private real estate development.

The Somali Federal Government has refuted these claims, stating that no such directive to demolish the cemetery exists. Somali Police Force spokesman Abdifitah Aden Hassan dismissed the reports as “baseless propaganda” and confirmed there is no government order for demolition. However, Hassan stated that any families who wish to relocate the bodies of their loved ones are free to do so, as in the case with Ajakis’ family.

The cemetery ordeal is the latest chapter in Mogadishu’s ongoing land disputes. Another prominent example is the former firefighters’ base, which became a residential area after the collapse of Somalia’s central government decades ago. The government has since ordered the occupants to vacate, but the families have asked for alternative relocation options due to a lack of suitable alternatives.

Mogadishu’s land crisis is fueled by a rapidly growing population and the city’s reconstruction efforts following decades of civil war that stifled development.