He fought for the group during its unsuccessful attempt to take Kismayo from United Somali Congress control in the early 1990s and later participated in raids against Ethiopia.

[5] During clashes with Ethiopian forces near Kismayo, Madobe narrowly survived an American airstrike, emerging as the sole survivor of a contingent though wounded by shrapnel.

On 4 April 2009, he announced his resignation from the parliament, claiming that he had only joined to get out of prison in Ethiopia and further warned Sharif's government to be "careful of foreign conspiracies.

Under the terms of the agreement, for a two-year period Jubaland would be administered by a Juba Interim Administration and led by the region's incumbent president, Madobe.

Management of Kismayo's seaport and airport would also be transferred to the Federal Government after a period of six months, and revenues and resources generated from these infrastructures would be earmarked for Jubaland's service delivery and security sectors as well as local institutional development.

[19] The FGS faced criticism from observers for engaging in political feuds with federal states to gain control in the upcoming election, rather than focusing on the fight against Islamist group Al-Shabaab.

[20] On 28 November 2024, amid a dispute over the holding of presidential election in Jubaland, a judge in the latter region issued an arrest warrant against federal president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on charges of treason, inciting a civil war, and organizing an armed uprising to disrupt the constitutional order.

In response, the federal government issued an arrest warrant against Madobe for treason and revealing classified information to foreign entities.