The Somali Universities Association has raised concerns over escalating security agency involvement on academic campuses, citing recent student detentions in Mogadishu as evidence of threats to academic freedom, student welfare, and the overall stability of Somalia’s higher education system. In a recent statement, the organization highlighted what it termed as mounting interference by governmental security bodies in university internal matters, asserting these behaviors jeopardize scholastic independence, student security, and the stability of the educational sector. Through a communiqué published on Monday, the association expressed profound alarm regarding recurring episodes where security personnel have accessed university premises and engaged in matters beyond their legal authority. The organization emphasized that such conduct contravenes national legislation and established guidelines that oversee higher education institutions in Somalia. The organization pointed out that universities serve as crucial hubs for developing qualified professionals and advancing national progress, cautioning that persistent intervention could erode public confidence in educational establishments and disturb the educational atmosphere for learners nationwide. Latest Case The document stated that the most recent case took place on December 11, 2025, at the Iise Abdi facility in Mogadishu’s Deynile area, where security personnel allegedly entered the grounds and apprehended students. The association reported that the occurrence instilled anxiety among both students and faculty and disrupted scholastic proceedings. Academic institutions are designated environments for education, inquiry, and open intellectual discourse, and should not be regarded as security perimeters or political battlegrounds, the association declared. The organization added that the participation of security entities in campus matters lacking explicit legal justification constitutes an infringement upon academic autonomy. Universities, it explained, operate under specific protocols that delineate how disagreements and safety considerations should be managed in collaboration with institutional leadership. The communiqué underscored multiple apprehensions regarding campus safety, encompassing the wellbeing of students and personnel, the preservation of educational independence, and the necessity of excluding political and security conflicts from academic settings. It cautioned that neglecting these aspects could result in permanent harm to the educational framework. Any measure that endangers students and educators or interferes with the scholastic timetable compromises the nation’s future, the association asserted. The association also cautioned that the inappropriate application of governmental authority and resources within university environments could intensify rifts among students and teaching staff, precipitating discrimination and disparate treatment, which it claimed conflicts with the tenets of equity and uniform access that higher education establishments are designed to maintain. Within the declaration, the organization appealed to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education, the Ministry of Internal Security, and other pertinent governmental bodies to honor the legal self-governance of universities and guarantee that security entities function within boundaries established by the constitution and current educational legislation. The organization stated that Somali academic institutions, regardless of being public or private, are founded under national statutes and answerable through regulatory systems that mandate collaboration with official bodies, yet not intrusion that interferes with instruction, evaluations, or student experiences. Security organizations bear the responsibility to safeguard citizens, yet this obligation must be fulfilled in a manner that honors legal requirements and the self-determination of educational establishments, the organization remarked. The association additionally entreated the legislative body, the head of government, and the head of state to assume accountability for protecting the tertiary education domain by guaranteeing that statutes regulating universities are executed and honored, and that any transgressions are rectified through judicial processes. Furthermore, it implored political figures to refrain from exploiting universities as venues for political rivalry or security activities, cautioning that such conventions could impair the credibility of the educational system and diminish the function of academic institutions in fostering societal harmony and national solidarity. The association indicated it would persist in observing the circumstances and interact with governmental entities to identify resolutions that safeguard students, educators, and academic entities, while urging university governing bodies to maintain dedication to discourse and legitimate collaboration with official authorities.