ONM-ABO (16 May 2026) — Disturbing testimonies obtained from the Qellem Wallagga and Maggalee regions indicate a sharp rise in extrajudicial executions and brutal torture carried out by state-aligned militias against respected community members.
In Dallaa village, located in the Anfilloo district of Qellem Wallagga, residents are mourning the brutal killing of Ashannafi Dingataa, a respected local family head. Testimonies state that Mr Dingataa was executed in cold blood by militiamen associated with the PP regime. Local inhabitants allege that these armed groups have systematically weaponized their security mandates, turning what should be routine election security operations into a campaign of widespread aggression against innocent civilians.
This pattern of abuse was mirrored in Yaadannoo village, situated in the Maggalee district. On 10 May, Mr Dhugaasaa Hambaa was apprehended by local militia forces and subjected to severe, prolonged torture. After sustaining grievous injuries, he was ordered to march with his captors. When his physical state made it impossible for him to comply, the militiamen intensified their assault, fracturing one of his arms. Local advocates point to these twin incidents as clear indicators of a pervasive and ongoing crisis of state-sponsored human rights violations across the region.
Bloodshed in Begii: Farmer shot dead for refusing to attend political rally
ONM-ABO (16 May 2026) — A tragic encounter in the Begii district has left one civilian dead and two others severely wounded after a local Prosperity Party official and accompanying militia opened fire on farmers who refused to abandon their agricultural duties to attend a political rally.
The incident occurred on 14 May at approximately 4.30 p.m. in the fields of Dhallaadduu Dhagaa Bokaa village. A group of local farmers was approached by a contingent led by Mohammed Nur Bandu, a village chief and PP cabinet member from nearby Dhallaadduu Haroo Diimaa village, alongside heavily armed militiamen. Mr Bandu demanded that the farmers immediately halt their daily chores to participate in an ongoing election campaign event for the ruling party.
When the farmers requested to finish their essential agricultural work before attending, the officials escalated the situation without provocation, opening fire on the unarmed workers. Khalid Harun Gorba was killed instantly in the fields. Two other farmers, Ramadallaa Iidee Yaasi and Raamatalla Jalduu Callaa, sustained serious gunshot wounds and were rushed to Begi hospital, where they are currently receiving medical treatment.
Critics and local observers state that this attack is emblematic of the “gun-based” governance system utilized by the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Accusations continue to grow that the ruling faction regularly employs extrajudicial killings and violent coercion as primary administrative tools. The prevailing sentiment across Oromia remains one of deep alarm over the culture of absolute impunity enjoyed by local cadres and party operatives, who continue to carry out acts of lethal violence against Oromo nationals without fear of legal accountability.
Predatory levies, torture, and asset seizure strike Metta and Metta Robi districts
ONM-ABO (18 May 2026) — A systematic campaign of forced financial levies, arbitrary arrests, physical mutilation, and livestock theft has been unleashed on the residents of Metta district in East Hararghe and Metta Robi district in West Shaggar, forcing dozens of families to flee their homes.
Systematic extortion and violence in Metta district
Beginning around 12 May 2026, administrative authorities in the Metta district imposed an arbitrary, compulsory levy of 1,500 units of local currency on every household, refusing to provide any justification for the demand. Households unable to pay have faced immediate and brutal retaliation from security forces.
- Forced Extortion: Prominent local residents, including Abdullah Ali Tule, Diinna Usama Abdullah, Diinna Mohammed Ibroo, Ahmed Aheeka, Yasin Abdo, Abdi Yusuf, Jamaal Yusuf, Mommy Usumaan, Jamal Mummy, and Umar Ahmed, were among the dozens forced to surrender their savings under duress.
- Incarceration and Torture: Impoverished residents who simply could not afford the levy were immediately jailed. Detainees including Salaam Umar, Abdul Qadir Ahmed Mohammed, Abraham Usama Hussein, Mohammed Ahmed Muhammad, Ahmad Ibiro, and Yasin Ahimad Ali have been subjected to severe beatings while in custody.
- Mutilation and Displacement: The violence has resulted in catastrophic injuries; resident Abduramaan Abdallaa Ahimad was beaten so severely that his arms and legs were broken, while another villager, Razzuu Adam Tuulee, was violently expelled from his ancestral land.
This coordinated terror has triggered mass displacement across villages such as Hawwii Bilisummaa, Ifa Biiftuu, Bakkalchaa, Wal-tahaa, Dhoqqee 1st, and Dhoqqee 2nd. Vulnerable mothers have been forced to flee into the bush with their children to escape the constant looting, including Mrs Asia Abdullah Musa (mother of 7), Mrs Zeyini Abdullah Adamee (mother of 5), and Mrs Ashiraqaa Ahimad Musa (mother of 4), all of whom remain missing.
State-sponsored livestock theft in Metta Robi district
In a parallel development on 11 May, similar predatory tactics were deployed in Hulluuqoo Birbirsaa village, within the Mettaa Roobii district of West Shaggar. Joint district army and militia forces targeted two local farmers, Tashoomaa Magarsaa and Shammagguu Badhaadhaa, falsely accusing them of harboring deserting militia members who had allegedly discarded their uniforms and weapons.
Despite the farmers’ vehement denials and total lack of political affiliation, the armed forces forcibly seized 12 heads of livestock from their property. The stolen animals represented the families’ entire livelihood and are valued at over 600,000 local currency units. ONM sources point to these coordinated actions across both districts as clear evidence of a campaign that systematically targets civilians based entirely on their “Oromoness”.
