The president of Sierra Leone announced that a significant number of leaders involved in an armed attack in the capital have been apprehended, leading to a nationwide curfew.
President Julius Maada Bio revealed on national television that security operations and investigations are ongoing following armed clashes in Freetown.
The government stated that the unrest stemmed from an attack on a military armoury, which it successfully repelled, asserting control over the situation.
Amid months of post-election turmoil in the West African nation, the government assured citizens that it is firmly in control of the security situation in Freetown.
Information Minister Chernor Bah emphasized that the attackers are retreating, while Sierra Leone’s civil aviation authority urged airlines to reschedule flights. Despite a gradual return to calm in the capital, security forces maintained checkpoints.
The government aims to ascertain the number of arrests and casualties, with those responsible for the attack facing the full force of the law, according to Minister Bah.
Social media videos appeared to depict individuals in uniform under arrest beside a military pick-up truck. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and explosions in Freetown’s Wilberforce district, home to the attacked armoury and embassies.
Exchanges of fire were also reported near a barracks in the Murray Town district, housing the navy, and outside another military site.
Earlier in the day, the information ministry disclosed attacks on prisons, resulting in security forces retreating and some detainees being released or abducted.
Video evidence suggested a significant number of prisoners escaped from the central jail. West Africa’s regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), condemned the attempt to disturb constitutional order in Sierra Leone.
The country has experienced political violence and unrest since the re-election of President Bio in June, marking the fifth election since the end of the brutal 11-year civil war over two decades ago.
International observers criticized the lack of transparency in the ballot count, leading Sierra Leone’s opposition party to dispute the results and boycott the government.
Since his electoral victory, President Bio has faced criticism due to challenging economic conditions, with nearly 60 percent of Sierra Leone’s population living in poverty.
Youth unemployment in the country is among the highest in West Africa. The unrest in Sierra Leone occurs against the backdrop of a series of military coups in the region, with eight reported in West and Central Africa since 2020, affecting countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea.
