Tensions flared in Mogadishu’s Warta Nabadda District on Sunday evening after police officers allegedly opened fire to disperse residents protesting the fencing off of a disputed piece of land near the 15 May School, in the latest incident highlighting the city’s growing land ownership disputes.
According to local residents, the incident occurred shortly after the Maghrib prayer when members of the community attempted to remove or dismantle corrugated iron sheets that had been erected around land they claim to legally own. Witnesses alleged that police officers responded by firing live ammunition into the air and toward the crowd to disperse protesters.
Residents said no injuries were reported from the gunfire, but the shooting triggered panic throughout the neighborhood. Several people were also reportedly arrested during the confrontation, although authorities have not disclosed the number of detainees or where they were taken.
Community members say the dispute is part of a longstanding land ownership conflict that has repeatedly resulted in confrontations between residents and security forces. They allege that previous attempts to take control of the land have involved demolitions, intimidation, assaults, and the use of force against residents seeking to defend their property.
The residents maintain that they have occupied the land for many years and possess legal documents proving ownership. They insist they will continue to oppose what they describe as illegal attempts to seize privately owned property through force, intimidation, or unauthorized fencing.
They have called on the Federal Government, the Banadir Regional Administration, the judiciary, and security agencies to intervene urgently and launch an independent investigation into the incident, while demanding accountability for those responsible and a lawful resolution to the land dispute.
The latest confrontation comes despite previous assurances by the Banadir Regional Administration that it had launched a campaign to curb widespread land grabbing in Mogadishu after a series of violent clashes linked to disputed properties. Authorities had pledged to strengthen oversight and prevent illegal seizures of public and private land.
However, residents argue that similar incidents continue to occur. Just days earlier, federal security forces fenced off the Sargaduuda Market in Waberi District after traders were evicted and homes and businesses were demolished. Local reports alleged that the land had been sold to private businessmen, though the authorities have not publicly confirmed those claims.
Forced evictions remain one of the most persistent sources of conflict in Mogadishu, where competing ownership claims—often involving residents, private developers, government institutions, and influential individuals—have fueled repeated legal battles and violent confrontations. Legal experts and civil society organizations have repeatedly called for stronger land governance, transparent adjudication of ownership claims, and reforms to Somalia’s land registration system to prevent further disputes and protect property rights.