Sierra Leone: Government declares a state of emergency after an attack on Military barracks.
By Baillor Jalloh
Sierra Leone’s government has announced a nationwide curfew amid fears about an attempted military coup in the country. In the early hour of Sunday morning, residents in the capital, Freetown, were awoken to heavy gunfire following reports that the Wilberforce Military barracks had been attacked by unknown men. Hundreds of detainees at the capital’s central correction centre, Pademba road were also released by the attackers.
Earlier, President Maada Bio confirmed via his official X account formerly known as Twitter that there had been an attack at the Wilberforce military barracks by some “unidentified individuals.” He added the attackers were “repelled by the security forces.”
President Bio’s statement via his official X account on Sunday morning
Few hours later, Information Minister, Chernor Bah, speaking to the BBC also confirmed Pademba road correctional centre was attacked, and some detainees had been released. And when asked about the security situation in the capital, he stressed the situation was under control and the security forces had repelled the assailants into the outskirts of the city. He added the government has declared an “immediate curfew and all the country’s borders are close” until further notice. He urged all citizens to stay “indoors” while security forces continue to deal with the situation.
Meanwhile, videos of some of the detainees, including the country’s popular rapper LAJ, escaping prison and military vehicles with ammunition being abandoned in some parts of the city have been circulated on social media (WhatsApp and Facebook).
Left some escaped detainees, getting served water by the public and right and abandoned military pickup truck with a gun and ammunition inside.
Despite the government claiming the situation is under control, residents have reported there are still sporadic gunfire in some parts of the capital.
Earlier, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) released a statement condemning the attack. The statement read "It has learnt with utter disgust a plot by certain individuals to acquire arms and disturb the peace and constitutional order in Sierra Leone. ECOWAS condemns this act and calls for the arrest and prosecution of all participants in this illegal act."
Political Situation in Sierra Leone and West Africa sub-region
In recent months Sierra Leone has been facing a tense political atmosphere after the re-election of President Julius Maada Bio, in June 2023, in which the main opposition, All Peoples Congress (APC) Party claims the results were rigged and boycotted the government. International observers also condemned what it described as “inconsistencies and a lack of transparency” in the count, as well as acts of violence and intimidation.
Since President Bio’s re-election nearly six months ago, his government has faced criticism for failing to tackle the country’s economic crisis and for having one of the highest youth unemployment in the West African sub-region.
President Maada Bio and his Wife Fatima Bio after voting at Wilberforce in June 2023
Sunday’s attack came after a series of military coups in West and Central Africa, including neighbouring Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the most recent in Gabon where former president Omar Bongo was ousted after his family ruled the country for nearly half a century.
