By Amara Samura
The Harbour Master of Tombo Fishing Community in the Western Rural district of Sierra Leone, Santigie Abdul Bangura is facing serious death threat from the Community, after police declared him wanted for his alleged involvement in the violence that took place in the township that resulted to the death of three people and six police officers while five other sustained gun shot wounds on Wednesday 6th May 2020.
Investigation revealed that immediately after the three days nationwide lockdown from the 3-5 May 2020, instituted by government to fight COVID-19 and stop the chain of transmission, news went round the Tombo Community that the government will not allow over two hundred fisher men to go to sea to fetch fish. The move was part of the regulations adopted by government to fight COVID-19. Over five thousand people living in Tombo depends on fishing activities for their survival.
The Village Headman Pa Alhaji Tunkara accused the Harbour Master, Santigie Abdul Bangura of spreading the message to the fisher men, an accusation he vehemently denied.
He said as Harbour Master, he was busy pleading with the people to abide by what ever measures adopted by government in the COVID fight.
The Village Headman said while negotiation was ongoing between the fisher men and the authorities, news went round that armed police officers have been dispatched from Freetown to put the situation under control in Tombo. The arrival of the armed police officers according to Chief Tunkara created more tension in the Community and in the process the police started firing tear gas cannisters.
As the ugly situation Intensified, the police fired live bullets resulting to the death of three civilians while few others sustained gun shot wounds. Six police officers who were dispatched to quell down the riot died of road accident along the Waterloo to Tombo highway.
He said government later issued a statement claiming that the order to reduce the number of fisher men to go to the deep sea to fetch fish did not come from them.
The people accused the Harbour Master of spreading that message which has caused the death of some people. Because of this development, both the police and youths declared Santigie Abdul Bangura wanted for spreading what they described as false news, an allegation that he vehemently denied,” the Chief said.
He accused the youths of burning down Santigie Abdul Bangura’s house in Tombo in retaliation for the death of their relarives. He said this latest development forced Santigie to flee to an unknown destination for fear of his life as the irate youths vowed to kill him if seen.
