MOGADISHU (SD) – The Somali Ministry of Interior has strongly condemned Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni’s recent approval of a process seeking federal member state identification for Puntland.

The ministry described the move as “unconstitutional” and violating national laws.

In an official statement, the ministry stated that Puntland’s decision lacks any legal or national legitimacy and undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and federal governance framework.

The statement further warned that the move could disrupt national development plans and destabilize ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s political and administrative systems.

The ministry urged Puntland’s leadership to abandon unilateral actions and instead engage constructively in the implementation of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), a federal system already established to manage citizen identification and civil registry data.