The Sierra Leone Police has confirmed that following the unauthorized protest organized by some faceless individuals on 11th September 2023, seventy-two people have been arrested and two people confirmed dead.
Head of Police Media, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Brima Koroma said the Goderich Police Division has arrested four people, Waterloo Police Division has arrested sixty and the Mountain Police Division situated close to the United States Embassy in Freetown has arrested eight persons.
The Police said investigations are ongoing on the mortal remains of the two deceased to determine their cause of death, assuring that the security situation in the country is now relatively calm.
The police informed that they have launched full-scale investigations on happenings at Moiba Town where some sad incidents were reported during the protest.
“Even before the protest day, people who were suspected of planning the protest were arrested. We have released those we noticed have nothing to do with the event, the others are helping the police in their investigations,” ACP Brima Koroma said.
Abdul Karim Will, spokesperson of the Office of National Security (ONS) underscored the collaborative efforts undertaken to ensure public safety during the September 11 protest, noting that extensive consultations were held with the Ministry of Transport and Aviation along with other key stakeholders to promote peace, understanding and free flow of people within communities.
Mr. Will added that to disseminate crucial information and raise awareness about the importance of maintaining peace, different apparatuses were used to engage community members, something he said helped to reduce the anxiety of the protest in the minds of people.
“The Security sector is unwavering in its commitment to preserving the peace of our nation and we will continue to do so diligently” the ONS spokesperson assured, adding that the security sector along with civil society groups are working assiduously while calling on the public to report anything deem to undermine the peace and security of the country.
The two security officials were speaking at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation on September 12th, 2023.
