Residents of Ambo, a city in the West Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, have told the independent outlet Addis Standard they are "living in fear" amid what they describe as "a pattern of violence, intimidation, and impunity" carried out by an organized group known locally as "120." The reports emerged alongside a series of social-media posts by the Oromo political figure Jawar Mohammed , beginning on April 13, that named specific individuals alleged to be part of the group and published videos depicting assaults. The Ambo City Communications Bureau has called the circulating reports part of a "defamation campaign" against the city's administration and said on April 15 that one individual, Kasaayee Qananiisaa, had been apprehended.
The story emerged publicly through an April 13 Facebook post by Jawar Mohammed, founder of the Oromia Media Network and a central political figure of the 2014–2018 Oromo protest movement who has been a consistent critic of the current Oromia regional administration. In his post, published in Afaan Oromoo, Jawar alleged that an organized group known in Ambo as "120" had been "organized by the government" and was operating in the city with official protection. He described the group as extorting traders during the day, raiding homes at night, and publicly beating residents who refused to pay or who spoke about being victimized. He identified Kasaayee Qananiisaa as the group's most publicly identifiable figure, published photographs of him, and attached video of what he said showed Kasaayee leading an attack.
The video Jawar attached to his initial post shows an assault near a yellow industrial power generator in what appears to be a commercial area of Ambo. The footage begins with Kasaayee Qananiisaa — identifiable by a brown hoodie and white baseball cap — in conversation with a seated man in a dark blue blazer. After roughly eighteen seconds, Kasaayee grabs the seated man by his clothing, drags him outside, and throws him to the ground near a small tree on the sidewalk. He then kicks the man repeatedly as the man curls inward to shield himself. Several other men approach and stand in proximity as the assault continues; none intervene. The victim can be heard pleading with the attacker to stop. Pedestrians and vehicles are visible in the street. The video is circulated with a still headshot of Kasaayee inset in the bottom-right corner, identifying the aggressor.
In the days that followed, Jawar published additional posts naming further individuals alleged to be involved in the group or its protection, sharing additional photographs, soliciting testimony from Ambo residents who contacted him directly, and publishing further footage. He identified a man named Haacaaluu Gammachuu as the mayor of Ambo and a man named Baay'isaa Huseen as head of the Ambo City Administration and Security Bureau, and alleged that both had used their positions to shield the group from accountability. He published a photograph, which The Abay Times has not independently authenticated, of a man he identified as Diinaa'ol Qaabataa — described as a member of the "120" network and a close associate of the mayor — embracing Oromia Regional State President Shimelis Abdisa. He identified a ward cabinet member and chair of the West Shewa Youth Federation named Mangee Teferi as as an associate of the group and as the person who had been found with the footage. Neither the Oromia Regional State administration nor any of the named individuals have publicly addressed Jawar's specific allegations or the photograph of the president. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has also not commented publicly on the Ambo reports. Jawar has said he is publishing similar allegations about organised groups in Shashamene, Nekemte, Burayu, and Guji Zone; those are not covered in this piece.
