Al-Shabaab's recent infiltration of Aden Adde International Airport the most secure site in Somalia exposed how deeply the jihadist group has embedded itself within the state. Wearing Somali National Army uniforms and aided by complicit insiders, Al-Shabaab militants not only breached a key security zone but also underlined a disturbing truth: the group’s influence has spread into the very heart of the government and society. Beyond traditional terrorism, Al-Shabaab now operates an extensive administrative infrastructure. From census databases and cadastral surveys to property taxation and education oversight, the group is systematising control under the guise of governance. Their growing influence over clan elders, educational institutions, ports, and even social media reflects a parallel authority that increasingly rivals if not surpasses the federal government.