July 14, 2021
By: Mohamed Jalloh
The prominent purpose of governance in any geographical space is to provide security for the inhabitants, after which the provision of social services will follow. A government lacking the ability to provide security for its people, is bound to lose its legitimacy and the popular appeal to govern. Any form of threat, be it internal or external must be nipped in the bud or immediately neutralized.
In Mali, President Boubakarr Keita was ousted by a popular uprising because his government failed to protect the people from attacks emanating from Islamic Insurgents.
In Sierra Leone, former president Joseph Momoh was ousted in 1992 by the military for failing in his effort to nullify the threat posed by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) militants.
Before expounding on the topic in discuss, this literary piece is never meant to stirring up security alertness or to give an impression of anxiety over insecurity.
Rather, as journalists we are bound to serve as analysts on issues of national interest, more importantly on issues that have the propensity to disrupting the serenity Sierra Leone has enjoyed since the guns went dumb in 2002.
After the signing of the Lome` peace accord that ended the brutal civil war, the country has enjoyed peace and quiet ever since, without any major security concern.
Successive governments have managed to maintain stability amidst the fragility that post conflict nations normally grapple with. Systems are been created for the interplay of democracy and good governance. State institutions geared towards nation building are been established and gradually strengthened to deliver on their mandate. Amidst the plethora of structural and perennial socio- economic challenges, it could be affirmed that the country is on the right trajectory for sustainable development.
Continuity is a key principle of governance and every government deserves commendation for doing its own bit to enhancing national development.
However, the quest to providing security overrides any other consideration as far as governance is concerned.
As it is often said, it is better to sweat in peace than to bleed in war, government after government in post conflict Sierra Leone are been guided by the moral teachings of the abovementioned maxim.
Under the reign of the second term of former president Tejan Kabbah, there was no cause for security alarm, except that the late president was advised by ECOMOG forces to be working from home. The unidirectional route from state lodge to state house, with the later located in the heart of the Central Business District(CBD) was deemed unsafe for President Kabbah`s convoy to be traversing on a daily basis.
In the immediate post conflict environment, the security situation was not adequately favourable, given that the demobilization and disarmament process of the different belligerent factions was still on-going. A lot of guns was still in the hands of fighters as some were reluctant to surrendering all their rifles. There was the possibility of an ex-combatant in possession of three guns to relinquish two rifles and retain one for contingencies or to perpetrate sinister or dubious actions.
The notorious “west side boys” was still perpetrating mayhem along the Freetown-Masiaka highway by killing commuters and carting away with their goods and properties. In light of the circumstances explained above, president Kabbah had no option but to heed to the advice of ECOMOG forces and work from the heavily fortified state lodge at Hill station.
During the rule of former president Koroma, his eleven years reign was free from any major security threat, except for few soldiers who were court martialed for allegedly trying to stage a coup and destabilize the government in Makeni.
However, after going through the court martial proceedings at the military headquarters, the band of soldiers were acquitted and discharged.
On April 4 2018, president Bio was sworn in as commander in Chief at the Radisson Blu hotel. The ceremony was expected to be conducted at the official seat of power which is state house. However, security concerns were highlighted for the change of venue, as the state house was deemed unsafe to conduct the swearing in ceremony.
About a month later after the swearing in of president Bio, the public was informed about a huge cache of arms and ammunitions that was uncovered at a pit around state lodge in Hill Station.
A captain in the Sierra Leone army who was part of the security details of former president Koroma and few others were arrested in connection of the arms discovery. The said captain escaped whiles in detention at the Wilberforce army barracks.
Later, the police further intercepted huge collection of bullets that could be loaded in a locally made rifle normally used for hunting purposes.
On the 2nd of July 2021, it is alleged that Hon. Emmanuel Saidu Conteh of the main opposition APC party allegedly engaged in illegal importation of arms and ammunition, as four MM 919 pistols with 100 live cartridges were discovered in a vehicle he imported.
In the meantime, Magistrate Sahr Keikura has sent the parliamentarian and three others to jail in connection with unlawful possession of arms and ammunition and without the valid licenses to import such weapons to Sierra Leone.
A consortium of politically minded civil society has released a statement insinuating a frame up because the parliamentarian who is at the center of the arms outburst is vocal in parliament.
An assertion I rejected because Hon Abdul Karim Kargbo of constituency 069 in Lungi (Port Loko District) and Hon Lahai Marah of constituency 042 in Falaba District are deemed by many parliamentary observers of been the most vocal of APC members of parliament. Since the matter is being heard in court, delving in to the merits and demerits of the circumstances surrounded the shipment of the vehicle would prejudice the matter.
The scariest of all the ammunitions discovery is the 10 boxes containing a total of 10,000 pieces of short gun bullets that was abandoned by “Mende boy” at the Kambia, Gbalamuya border crossing point with neighboring Guinea. These are the type of weapons that are used by the military and the para military wing of the Sierra Leone police, discovering them in the hands of non-state security actors is extremely frightening. In a situation where 10,000 pieces of bullets are utilized, the resulting episode would be a bloodbath.
Some people who are bent on politicizing everything are down playing and trivializing the issue on social media platforms. They have been suggesting that the arms discovery involving a white ‘poda poda’ with Guinean registration number RC 4416 AP is a choreographed episode that is meant to deflect attention from the suicide committed by the Korean investor and the pressure mounted by religious leaders for the closing of places of worship in line with Covid-19 restrictions. Whatever the case, security experts would advise that a responsible government would try to unravel the source and designation of the 10,000 pieces of bullets. Perhaps, the customs officials were only fortunate to intercept the consignment. There is the probability that some consignments may have escaped the prying eyes of the customs and security officials at the border crossing points.
It was only when a plane loaded with cocaine was discovered at the lungi international airport, that it dawned on many Sierra Leoneans that the country was been used as a hub for the distribution of cocaine to Europe and United States. Therefore extreme vigilance and attentiveness by customs and security officials should not be overemphasized.
In the grand scheme of things, the rolling out of government policies could sometimes hurt some vested interest who would like to take a jolt at the driver of change.
The recently assassinated president in Haiti (first black independent nation) Jovenel Miose, who is victimized for trampling on the interest of the powerful oligarchs in his country, is a testament of how leaders could get trapped in the intractable intricacies of governance.
The gunning down of the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the military in Sierra Leone, Samuel Omar Williams in 2017 is a further proof that no one is immune to be a victim of insecurity. Therefore, it is wise and prudent to act upon a report drafted by the current deputy minister of internal Affairs, Lahai Lawrence Leema on tightening border security.
Government should also support and strengthen the National Commission for Small Arms and Light Weapons to deliver on its mandate and to further take stock of all weapons that are in the hands of non-state and non-security actors.