By: Mamajah Jalloh
Sierra Leone and Guinea have strengthened cooperation to combat human trafficking, human smuggling, drug trafficking and other forms of cross-border crime, Minister of Internal Affairs AIG (Rtd) Morie Lengor has disclosed.
Minister Lengor made the disclosure on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, during the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press conference at the Miatta Civic Centre, Youyi Building, in Freetown, where he addressed security and migration-related issues between the two neighboring countries.
He said he is working closely with his Guinean counterpart to address cross-border crimes and other challenges affecting citizens of both countries.
According to Lengor, one of the major concerns identified is the large number of Sierra Leoneans living in Guinea without proper registration or documentation, making it difficult for authorities to establish their nationality and provide appropriate assistance when necessary.
He noted that the lack of proper documentation had also created difficulties in identifying Sierra Leonean nationals affected by incidents in Guinea, including victims of the recent mudslide.
“Some of the issues we agreed on in respect of registration is to see how the National Civil Registration Authority will properly register them all,” he stated.
The Minister also disclosed that Guinea does not currently recognize the ECOWAS Card for certain services, which he said creates difficulties for Sierra Leoneans seeking to access services such as banking.
He said the matter was raised during bilateral discussions with Guinean authorities, noting that ECOWAS member states are expected to recognize the card for travel and other purposes within the sub-region.
Lengor further disclosed that Sierra Leone and Guinea also discussed border-related issues involving the two countries and Liberia, including efforts to accelerate the implementation of a tripartite agreement reached by the three countries.
He said the two Foreign Ministries would work with the Mano River Union to facilitate and fast-track the agreement and ensure that decisions reached during the tripartite discussions are implemented.
The Minister further revealed that shortly after their return from Guinea, authorities received information that some individuals were allegedly attempting to take Sierra Leoneans to Guinea without proper documentation, raising suspicions of human trafficking.
“As we returned from Guinea, we heard some people want to take Sierra Leoneans to Guinea without proper documentation and we suspected human trafficking,” he stated.
He said, in response, Sierra Leone immediately deployed a team comprising the Interpol, Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and Transnational Organised Crime Unit to Guinea to work with Guinean authorities and security agencies.
According to Lengor, the team is expected to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against anyone found culpable.
He warned individuals and groups involved in facilitating criminal activities to desist, saying investigations had indicated that some of the crimes were being carried out by organised criminal groups.
The Minister said such activities could damage Sierra Leone’s reputation both in Guinea and internationally, stressing that anyone arrested and found guilty would face the full force of the law.
Lengor also thanked members of the Fourth Estate for their role in informing the public and supporting efforts to address security challenges.
He commended the media for contributing to the fight against lawlessness and indiscipline, as well as efforts to address noise pollution, which he said had become increasingly common in the country.
He maintained that the cooperation between the government, security agencies and the media had contributed to creating greater awareness and improving public order.