The Umrah and Hajj visas, intended for Muslims travelling to Saudi Arabia for religious rites, are now being exploited as a tool in human trafficking schemes.

Kaab TV has uncovered disturbing evidence of young Somalis paying up to $10,000 to middlemen based at travel agencies in Mogadishu in exchange for Umrah visas.

These intermediaries allegedly work with corrupt government officials in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment, and the Department of Immigration, to facilitate passport issuance and visa processing.

Although the ministry is officially tasked with overseeing Hajj and Umrah arrangements, it has reportedly outsourced much of its operations to agents and brokers closely tied to ministry officials.

Some of these individuals are accused of paying bribes to gain influence.

Widespread corruption

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently acknowledged the widespread corruption at the ministry.

“I received many complaints about corruption in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment,” the president said. However, in a controversial remark, he added that he was not concerned, stating: “Even if the minister steals, he would still invest some in the country.”

The current Minister of Religious Affairs in Somalia is Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, also known as Abu Mansur — a former co-founder and senior leader of the Al-Shabaab militant group.

Religious pilgrimage has become a lucrative business in Somalia. One agent told Kaab TV that each Hajj traveler this year paid up to $4,500. Social media platforms in Somalia are flooded with ads for Hajj and Umrah packages, often promising “urgent processing” and even expedited passport services for extra fees.

What once was a journey of faith has now become a gateway for smuggling.

Abdirahman Bashi, a Mogadishu resident, recently received a call from his younger sister who had traveled to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa.

The traffickers had promised to help her secure a visa to Italy once in Saudi Arabia, but now they are demanding additional money.

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“My sister told me they need more money to ‘facilitate’ her Italian visa,” Abdirahman said. His family has begun selling their land in a Mogadishu suburb to raise the funds.

Italy has recently become a popular destination for smugglers moving African migrants due to what they perceive as easier visa opportunities and asylum pathways.

While some victims make it to Europe, others remain trapped. One family in northern Mogadishu is heartbroken after learning their only son, Ahmed Nasir, is being held by traffickers in Tripoli, Libya.

He initially left Somalia for Egypt on a legal visa but was later smuggled into Libya, where he hoped to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

“The traffickers are now demanding $6,000, claiming it covers his travel expenses,” said Nasir’s mother, Halima. “But even if we pay them, I’m afraid they won’t let him go.”

The Somali Immigration Department did not respond to Kaab TV’s inquiries about the alleged involvement of its officials in the trafficking network.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment has denied any wrongdoing or connection to the smuggling operations.

As the misuse of pilgrimage visas continues, vulnerable Somalis are caught in a dangerous cycle of exploitation, debt, and broken promises.

The post How Umrah and Hajj Visas Are Being Exploited by Human Traffickers in Somalia appeared first on Kaab TV.

While no formal research has yet been conducted on this issue, government officials, youth, women, and other community sectors have expressed growing concern over the large-scale exodus of young people in 2025.

Kaab TV organized a public forum in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, bringing together representatives from the police, women’s groups, intellectuals, and youth.

Koore Geelle, a youth living in Garowe, said that widespread unemployment is the primary reason driving young people to leave the country.

“There is widespread unemployment, and job opportunities are not distributed equally,” he said.

He added that even educated youth are unable to access the few available jobs due to rampant corruption and discriminatory practices, including clan-based favoritism.

1,601 human trafficking cases between 2017 and 2024.

Colonel Abdirisak Ismail Darwish, Deputy Commander of the Puntland Police in charge of public relations, stated that the police are aware of the large number of youths who have migrated. He noted that they are working in partnership with civil society organizations to raise awareness about the dangers of irregular migration.

Colonel Darwish also highlighted the increasing number of trafficking networks actively facilitating illegal human smuggling.

The Puntland Police have documented at least 1,601 human trafficking cases between 2017 and 2024. They have also dismantled six major trafficking networks during this period.

Abshiro Ahmed Mohamed from the Puntland Ministry of Labor described the situation as tragic, noting that some of the youths who took the dangerous sea journey are now either dead or unaccounted for.

“There is indeed unemployment, but that should not justify taking a life-threatening journey across the sea,” she said.

READ: Crackdown on Human Trafficking and Passport Fraud

Abshiro added that one of the main challenges is the lack of entrepreneurial mindset among high school and university graduates, many of whom believe their only option is to be employed by others rather than creating their own jobs.

“It’s a serious problem that everyone wants to work for someone else instead of becoming job creators and innovators themselves,” she stated.

Nashaad Mahmoud, an educated woman and activist in Puntland, pointed to the country’s deteriorating economy and the lack of viable opportunities for youth as key contributing factors.

She also noted that many young people are unwilling to do low-paying or manual jobs while in Somalia but are quick to take such jobs once they reach Europe.

“The government must take serious action against human trafficking networks,” Nashaad urged.

Some of the youth invited to the discussion raised direct questions about the daily challenges they face in Puntland.

Corruption, hopelessness, and the fact that many government officials hold foreign passports were also cited as key factors driving youth to flee the country.

The post A Surge in Youth Migration from Puntland Amid Rising Concerns appeared first on Kaab TV.