August 27, 2021
By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
The poor recruitment policy of the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) has been exposed as police nab one Charles Baguay in Bo who is known as ‘Ranger’ with a fully loaded NP 18 Makarov pistol.
It is expected that proper scrutiny and background checks must be instituted before recruiting personnel into the NPAA and deploying them across the country.
The arrest of the ranger speaks volumes of the high spate of robbery incidents that has engulfed Bo district which has left residents in a panic mood and state of insecurity.
The Regional Police Commander Southern region AIG Aiah Edward Samadia has earlier on entreated all Local Unit Commanders (LUCs) in the Southern Region to strengthen the various entry points in their respective divisions in order to combating the recent incessant armed robbery activities in the Region.
In pursuance of modern policing strategies, the Regional Police Commander implored personnel to embark on beat patrols, effective day and night patrols, rejuvenate the Community Safety Volunteers (CSVs) establish snap checkpoints within the city of Bo and its environs to forestall any heinous criminal related activities in the Region.
The policing approach implemented by the regional commander is gradually yielding dividend.
On Monday 23rd August 2021 at 0200 hrs Police Personnel deployed along Fenton road / Mahei Boima road axis arrested Charles Baguay with a loaded Pistol (NP 18 Makarov Pistol) who was dressed in military regalia. The suspect and exhibits were handed over to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) south for further investigations.
In his response to the arrest of his personnel, Joseph Ranto Musa, the Executive Director of the NPAA said the ranger in question was not on duty as he was apprehended by the police at night whiles engaging in activities that are totally unrelated to the mandate of the NPAA.
The Executive Director said the situation is not unique to the NPAA; he draws parallel with the police and the military that sometimes recruit people who engage in armed robbery activities.
Mr. Ranto revealed that the issue has been discussed at a national security council meeting with other security stakeholders, whiles further intimating that the personnel in question has been immediately dismissed from the NPAA as he awaits prosecution by the police after the conclusion of investigations.
The arrest of Charles Baguay by the police is a sequel to a compendium of arms and ammunition outburst in the country that touches on the safety and security of citizens and the state.
It is expected that the police investigations must unravel other accomplices of armed robbery and a potential hideout of consignments of arms and ammunition.
It should be noted that the mandate of the NPAA among other things include: ensuring the protection of ecosystems and threatened biodiversity, oversee the management of local and private nature reserves and sanctuaries throughout Sierra Leone including zoos, wild life reserve and rehabilitation centers. Therefore, it is unconstitutional and unlawful for any NPAA personnel to carry arms and ammunition.