Why Somalia's citizens fear for their lives over CCTV mandate

Shop owners in Mogadishu, Somalia, are caught in a dangerous dilemma following a government directive requiring them to install CCTV cameras outside their businesses to monitor Islamist insurgents, particularly al-Shabab, who maintain a significant presence in the city. The measure, intended to improve security, has instead created fear and hardship among civilians, forcing them to navigate threats from both the government and insurgents.

The government argues that the initiative has been effective. The BBC reported Mogadishu's Deputy Mayor Mohamed Ahmed Diriye ensuring the surveillance cameras have significantly reduced bombings in the city, dropping from four or five per month to far fewer. However, al-Shabab retaliates against those who comply, killing four businessmen in 10 attacks related to the directive since October, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (Acled). These attacks have caused many businesses to close temporarily, disrupting Mogadishu's economy.

Hamza Nuur, a former shopkeeper, provides a stark example of the challenges civilians face. After initially resisting the directive, Nuur told the British network that he was forced by security forces to install a CCTV camera at his store. This act drew the attention of operatives from al-Shabab, closely affiliated to al-Qaeda, who threatened him through anonymous phone calls and direct confrontations. One operative, armed with a pistol, coerced Nuur into confirming his compliance with the government. Fearing for his life after witnessing other shopkeepers being gunned down, Nuur decided to sell his business. “There is nothing more valuable than human life,” he says, lamenting the government’s strategy that leaves civilians vulnerable in a battle against a powerful militant group.

The directive has since expanded to include residential homes, further heightening civilian fears. Residents now face arrest if they fail to comply, as illustrated by one shopkeeper who was detained alongside others from his street for not installing cameras. Although they eventually complied, they live in constant fear of retaliation from al-Shabab.

The BBC points out that the initiative's critics argue that the government’s approach forces civilians to shoulder the costs and risks of its counterterrorism efforts. Cameras must be purchased and installed at personal expense, exposing individuals to threats from insurgents who view compliance as collaboration with authorities. “Is this how the government expects to win hearts and minds?” one resident asks, highlighting widespread dissatisfaction.

While the government denies that businesses are shutting down and insists it is working to protect civilians, many feel abandoned and exploited. For people like Nuur, the government’s inability to effectively combat al-Shabab without pulling civilians into the conflict is a failure of strategy. “People trying to make ends meet are being pulled into a war,” he told the broadcaster.

In this fraught environment, Mogadishu’s civilians are left to navigate a perilous reality, balancing the risks of government penalties against the deadly threats posed by insurgents. The situation underscores the complexities of counterterrorism in a city where both state and militant forces demand compliance, often at the expense of civilian lives and livelihoods.

By Nazrin Sadigova