A statement issued by the Banadir Regional Police Command said that an investigation is underway into an incident that occurred at one of the hospitals in Mogadishu. Videos recorded at the scene showed police officers entering the hospital while carrying weapons.
The footage showed people running away, including patients, visitors, and hospital staff. It also showed several people being forcibly taken away by police officers.
Banadir Regional Police said that healthcare facilities are among the places where carrying weapons is prohibited. According to the police, the incident occurred because the hospital administration refused to comply with an order.
Explaining the reason for the refusal, the police said that a mother from a low-income family had undergone surgery and given birth to a baby boy, but her family was unable to pay the medical bill. The Office of the Prosecutor had reportedly ordered that the mother and her baby be released, but the hospital administration refused.
The Banadir Regional Police Command stated:
“The Banadir Regional Police Command is sharing with the public details of an incident that occurred at a hospital in Mogadishu’s Yaqshiid District. The incident involved a mother named Zamzam Mahmoud Ilmi, who underwent surgery and gave birth to a baby boy 10 days ago. She was facing inadequate care, while the hospital was unlawfully holding her.”
The statement further said that Zamzam went to the hospital on 19 September 2026, where she underwent surgery, and on 20 September 2026, she gave birth to a baby boy. Her low-income family was unable to pay the medical and accommodation costs. The police said this led the hospital administration to file a complaint against the child’s father, resulting in his arrest.
The statement added:
“On 28 September 2026, the Office of the Attorney General issued an order requiring that the mother and her child be rescued from the situation they were in and that the proper legal procedures be followed.”
The police defended the officers’ entry into the hospital, saying:
“The police delivered the order to the hospital administration and instructed them to release the mother and her child. However, the hospital administration refused and insisted that they would not be released until the outstanding bill was paid. Their accommodation expenses were also continuing to accumulate. The mother was facing a health condition related to inadequate care, while the prosecution had ordered the police to urgently rescue her. The father was still being held by the hospital administration.”
The police further stated:
“When the officers went to implement the order, a confrontation and unrest occurred between the police and the hospital administration, involving refusal to comply with the order and the use of weapons. This resulted in the officers entering the hospital while carrying their weapons in order to rescue the mother, who was reportedly suffering from inadequate care and had become isolated inside the hospital without eating for several days.”
Finally, the Banadir Regional Police Command said:
“The Police Command makes clear that carrying weapons into a public place is not permitted. This incident is currently under investigation, and the law will be applied. The hospital administration, which engaged in extremely serious misconduct, as well as anyone found to have committed an illegal act or wrongdoing related to this incident, will be brought before the court.”
The incident has generated various reactions, while the public awaits the final decision of the country’s judicial authorities. According to the Banadir Regional Police Command, the case remains under investigation. No statement has yet been issued by the hospital administration regarding the incident or the serious allegations made against it.
