By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Security Sector in Sierra Leone held a Press Conference on the 19th April, 2023 which was mainly based on, “Threatening Social Media Posts & Messages Creating Fear & Panic in the Country”. In attendance were Print and Electronic Media journalists as well as politicians, CSOs, moral guarantors of peace and actors in the security sector.
In his statement, the National Security Coordinator, Abdulai Caulker, pointed out that as a people, the country will be in total chaos if people do not have the courage to resist the incitements of bad citizens in the social media whose desperation and lust for political power have blinded them to the benefits and comforts of stability and peaceful co-existence adding that for them, even if it means sinking Sierra Leone and destroying all of its population to get political power, it would be a viable option.
According to him, since 2018 when this present Government assumed office, the security sector has noted with dismay that there have been countless numbers of anti-state activities tantamount to undermining the peace and security of Sierra Leone and unnecessarily provoking security sector reactions.
He continued by saying whilst the security sector had wished such baits had not been thrown, it would not shy away from its constitutional responsibility of ensuring that citizens’ lives and properties are secure and the country remains stable.
“Violent incidents such as the ones in Tombo at the height of Corona when fishermen revolted against safety health measures; in Lunsar over youths accusing their Paramount Chief of embezzlement; in Makeni over the relocation of a Government generator to Lungi which was in dire need of electricity; in Mile 91 over lawful Police operations to destroy marijuana farms; the Pademba Road Prison break; August 10 violent protest; etc. had all been evidently incited by social media trolls, the likes of Adebayor and their clandestine political godfathers,” the National Security Coordinator lamented.
He succinctly in a rhetorical manner asked that in case the security sector had failed to act during those incidents, what would Sierra Leone have become underscoring how those incidents could have potentially led to anarchy, capable of totally disrupting the hard-won peace of Sierra Leone, and possibly tearing her apart.
Abdulai Caulker told those in attendance that the latest incident of the brutal killing of the OSD Coordinator in Makeni, Mathew Banya (alias Boyka), and the accompanying social media utterances and provocations fashioned against the stability of the State and the security sector are worrisome and may put people in needless fear and panic.
He said all these are happening at a time when the country is less than two and a half months away from the general elections but was quick to state that the Security Sector is not jittery and cannot be intimidated as it alone has the constitutional right to exercise the monopoly of violence on behalf of the State, and no one else.
“We have decided to have an inclusive approach to ensuring Sierra Leone remains stable and peaceful, and the enabling environment created for peaceful and democratic elections,” he divulged stating how they thought it necessary to convene a Press Conference to give out a clear message, which is: “Sierra Leoneans, stay away from violence; don’t take the law into your own hands, follow due process. Don’t allow another man to use your own hand to remove palm kernels from a burning furnace.”
He disclosed how they invited all political party leaders, moral guarantors, traditional and religious leaders, press and media houses, women’s forum, peace networks, teachers, parents, guardians, youth groups, civil society organizations and members of the international community to underscore a need for nonviolence elections and support efforts geared towards making Sierra Leone stable and peaceful.
According to him as a security sector, they will not renege on their sacred responsibility to maintain law and order and ensure that there is peace and tranquility for everyone to go about their normal business.
He warned that any person or a group of persons who believe that for their own greed and selfishness they can make Sierra Leone unstable and ungovernable, they are big liars stating how the security sector will use all in its power to strongly resist and impel them.
“The Security Sector is ready and will ensure that the forthcoming general elections are conducted devoid of violence and intimidation,” he reiterated disclosing how the MACP will be robustly enforced during and after the elections.
Other speakers made salient points and questions asked were roundly responded to.
