Saturday May 10, 2025

GALKAYO (HOL) – Security forces from Puntland, in collaboration with Galmudug state, have apprehended Abdiqani Saleebaan Jama, also known as Sayloor, a former Al-Shabaab member who had escaped from Galkayo prison in August 2024.

A Puntland police official told HOL that Sayloor was captured near the town of Bacaadweyne in southern Mudug, Galmudug, where he had reportedly been hiding for several months.

Sayloor had been sentenced to death after confessing to the murder of journalist Jamaal Farah Adan, who was killed in Galkayo on March 1, 2024. He was one of two suspects convicted in the case.

On August 5, 2024, Sayloor was among four Al-Shabaab convicts who escaped from the Galkayo prison while awaiting execution. His escape had sparked widespread concern over prison security and coordination between regional security forces.

Reports indicate that Galmudug authorities handed over Sayloor to Puntland following his capture, reflecting growing cooperation between the two administrations on regional security matters.

In a video posted on social media last year, Sayloor denied being a member of Al-Shabaab, claiming he had never joined the militant group despite his conviction.