By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
The Government of Sierra Leone in the early hours of Sunday imposed a nation-wide curfew in the small West African nation after an attempted attack into a military armoury at a military barracks in Wilberforce, West of the capital Freetown by some ‘ unidentified individuals’
‘’The public is assured that the government and our state security forces are in control. To enable the security forces to continue the process of apprehending the suspects, a nation-wide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country. We strongly advise citizens to stay indoors,’’ Chernoh Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education in a statement.
In a statement, Sierra Leone‘s President Julius Maada Bio said the country in the early hours of Sunday morning experienced a breach of security at a military Barracks at Wilberforce in Freetown, as some unidentified individuals attacked the military armoury but said they were repelled by the country’s gallant security forces; assuring citizens that calm has been restored in the capital.
‘’As the combined team of our Security Forces continue to root out the remnant of the fleeing renegades, a nationwide curfew has been declared and citizens are encouraged to stay indoors. We remain resolute in our determination to protect democracy in Sierra Leone and I urge all Sierra Leoneans to unite towards this collective responsibility,’’ President Julius Maada Bio urged citizens.
Bio vowed to protect the peace and security of the nation against the forces that wish to truncate what he referred to as the ‘’much- cherished stability’ the country is enjoying.
‘’The Peace of our beloved nation is priceless and we shall continue to protect the peace and security of Sierra Leone against the forces that wish to truncate our much-cherished stability,’’ Bio added.
Not only did authorities in Sierra Leone confirmed a military attack on its armoury, it also confirms that there was a breach in its main prison facility –Pademba road prison were dozens of prisoners are feared to have escaped with fellow prisoners at the security tight prison facility in the capital , Freetown.
‘’Major detention centers including the Pademba Road Prisons were attacked earlier today and in the interest of protecting civilian lives (including of prisoners), the security forces were forced to make a tactical retreat. The prisons were thus overran. Some prisoners were abducted by the assailants while many others were released,’’ the country’s Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernoh said in a statement but however added the security forces have pushed back the assailants to the outskirts of the city.
‘’Most of the city is calm and under control of the state security forces,’’ Minister Bah assured citizens whilst stressing that the nation-wide curfew remains in effect advising everyone to stay indoors.
‘’The government remains in control and on top of the situation,’’
Popular music-star and rapper Alhaji Amadu Bah alias LAJ who is serving jail term for robbery and assault in June this year were among dozens of prisoners who escaped from today’s prison break as videos of him and others trend on different social media platforms.
The attack in the country has been condemned by the United States, the European Union and even the regional ECOWAS block over the unfortunate incident.
‘’We condemn in the strongest possible terms the attempted overnight forceful seizure of Wilberforce Barracks and armory. Such actions have no justification. We urge full cooperation with government security forces’ ongoing operation to detain those responsible and strongly encourage all to adhere to government guidance regarding the ongoing curfew for their own safety. The United States continues to stand with all those working for a peaceful, democratic, healthy, and prosperous Sierra Leone,’’ the US Embassy in Freetown said in a statement.
