By: Audrey John, Hafsatu Bangura
The Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and communications, Ministry of Social Welfare and Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Sierra Leone Police on the 16th August 2022 at the Police headquarters in Freetown held a successful press conference on the reunification of underage protesters of the August 10th insurrection that resulted to the inhumane loss of lives of the police and innocent civilians.
Speaking at the event the Minister of Internal Affairs Mr. Maurice Panda-Noah recalled the events of the August 10th riots by unpatriotic and faceless insurgents on the peace and stability of the country and an attack on the democracy of the country.
He said the carnage and violence unleashed by these faceless protesters killed innocent able-bodied policemen and innocent civilians.
Mr. Noah went on that following the incident of the August 10th riots a good number of these faceless unpatriotic citizens have been arrested and that a good number of these included underage/juvenile children who are now in custody at the family support unit of the Sierra Leone Police.
The Minister stated the purpose of the press briefing to the general public on the identification of these juvenile children by their parents or guardians, and to notify them that their children are in police custody and wish to unite them with their various parents.
Mr. Panda Noah ensured that the government’s effort in protecting the rights of these children has been duly executed; therefore, the Ministries in charge of the protection of these children have been contacted for these children to be taken care of as prescribed by law.
Following this he said, the Family Support Unit has compiled a list of detailed information on these Juvenile children’s names, addresses and phone numbers of their parents.
He urged family members not to be scared in the identification of their children and that their safety is guaranteed.
From the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs Mr. Ansu Konneh assured the children’s safety and said their ministry has a total number of 26 children, six of these are girls, and twenty boys aged 12, 13, 16 and 18.
He concluded that efforts for the safety and protection of these children to a better facility have been put in place; such places mentioned were Donbosco Fambul home and Approve School.
