Disputes between Fullahs and the Konos Leads to Burning of Houses in the Upper Neya Chiefdom of Sierra Leone

By: Baillor Jalloh & Sylvin Bah

The burning of houses and killing of cows continued in Upper Neya Chiefdom, Falaba District of Sierra Leone.

On Tuesday 19/4/22, two more houses in a Kekero village which borders Falaba District and Sando Chiefdom were burnt with no lives lost. 

Reports from the area stated that on Monday 18/4/2022,  fifteen cows were shot and killed by armed men marauding the areas.

According to my local sources, all these incidents have been reported to the police in Kono. 

This spate of violence across the border between Cattle rearers and thieves have exposed the ineptitude of the state to provide security for Sierra Leoneans, especially those enduring psychological and physical torture from these hoodlums. They are bent on capitalising on the weakness of state security apparatus to cause mayhem and chaos in that part of the country.

When Will The Cattle Rearers See Action from the Government?

Sadly the cattle owner who was alleged to have killed the youth implicated to have shot the cow is still in police custody yet no one was arrested for the killing of the innocent woman and the burning of the houses in Mansonfinia. 

I said no one, not to my knowledge.

This lack of action from the state has emboldened these youths to commit more crimes against their compatriots because they are getting away with it. 

The recent visit of the Resident Minister North has not yielded any positive results. 

It is appears that the government is waiting for more blood to be spilled before they can come down heavily on the perpetrators of the violence.

The authorities in the country and in the affected areas are conducting normal businesses as if serious human rights violations are not being committed in those villages.

Where Is The Leadership In The Country?

The cattle rearers who are constantly persecuted and terrorised bear the brunt of the lack of strong leadership and ill performing institutions that are supposed to protect them.

Critical thinkers are wondering if the government is waiting for the cattle rearers to take arms and defend themselves before it intervenes to put the situation under control. 

As the security, state , and the stakeholders remain insensitive to the plight of the cattle rearers, the burning of houses and shooting of cows continue in upper Neya Chiefdom.

By Silvin Bah, Ko-fewndii/ For African Voices Platform