Sierra Leone Telegraph: 29 November 2023:
Secretary General of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Party – Lansana Dumbuya, on Monday issued a public statement condemning the armed attack that took place in Freetown last Sunday morning, which saw the killing and arrest of dozens of people, many of whom are known members of the APC.
Reprisal attacks against the opposition APC is growing as security forces conduct house to house search for alleged suspects.
In his statement, Dumbuya said: “We have maintained, in no uncertain terms, our vehement condemnation of the use of brutal force by any party to gain and or retain power. We wish to assert, therefore, that Sunday’s unfortunate acts should not be confused with the reality that the APC, other political parties, as well as independent local and international observers, including the Carter Centre, have maintained that the results of the 24 June 2023 elections are lacking in transparency and fraught with statistical inaccuracies and possibilities.
“Also, the APC participated in the International Community Mediated Dialogue in good faith; we did so out of the desire for a peaceful resolution of the impasse.”
The government yesterday published the names of its “most wanted” people accused of the attempted overthrow of the government last Sunday. Most of the those listed are from the north of Sierra Leone, the political heartland of the opposition APC.
The statement published by the APC reads:
“The All People’s Congress (APC) party firmly condemns the dastardly acts of violence that occurred in Freetown on November 26, 2023. The party has carefully followed these unacceptable violent events of Sunday, November 26 with grave concern, and we have noted the various accounts of the disturbance by various government officials, we are very much alarmed by the news that there was a breach of security at the Wilberforce Military Barracks in Freetown.
“We are deeply troubled that the security breach resulted in an attack on the armoury and other locations in Freetown, including the Pademba Road Correctional Centre, where hundreds of detainees were unlawfully released by a band of assailants.
“The APC wishes to express its strongest unreserved condemnation of any acts, occasions, or statements that are inimical to the political and social stability of the state. However, we have also noted with dismay that in his statement to the high-powered delegation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Bio pointedly associated our great party with the August 10 protests, and attributed our party’s contestation of the June 24 elections results to these violent events.
“We CATEGORICALLY condemn any attempt to associate our party with any form of violence. As a responsible political party, we strongly believe in the assumption of power through the ballot box and not through the barrel of a gun.
“That is why we have maintained, in no uncertain terms, our vehement condemnation of the use of brutal force by any party to gain and /or retain power. We wish to assert, therefore, that Sunday’s unfortunate acts should not be confused with the reality that the APC, other political parties, as well as independent local and international observers, including the Carter Centre, have maintained that the results of the 24 June 2023 elections are lacking in transparency and fraught with statistical inaccuracies/possibilities.
“Also, the APC participated in the International Community Mediated Dialogue in good faith; we did so out of the desire for a peaceful resolution of the impasse. We have remained faithful to the full implementation of its agreement and will continue to do so to the completion of the mandate of the Tripartite Investigation Committee.
“In light of the above, the APC would like to once again express grave concern about the use of our Party Headquarters as a shooting target. As usual, the APC party headquarters was not spared from the shooting spree that characterized the 26th November security breach, which led to damage to the facility.
“We further view, with utter dismay, the extra-judicial execution of one of the official state security personnel and the abduction of another at our former Chairman and Leader’s residence in Freetown.
“We also oppose the targeting of our leadership and members by ransacking their premises on false allegations. We want to reemphasize that the APC as a political party is opposed to any form of violence. We reiterate our commitment to acquiring political power through democratic means and unequivocally denounce the use of force in politics.
“Given the magnitude of the security threat, and the emerging conflicting stories and accusations, the APC therefore calls for an inclusive, speedy, conclusive investigation that is fair, independent and transparent.”
Photo below: members of the APC that have either been killed or arrested after Sunday’s armed attack.
The country’s military yesterday confirmed at a press conference that APC strongman – Idrissa Kamara also known as Leatherboot was killed during army raid on suspects (Photo below):
Mohamed ‘Yettey Yettey’ Turay, another security member of the APC who was extradited from Liberia last month after he was accused of planning a coup in Sierra Leone, is also believed to have been killed by security forces.
APC Sherrif, a member of the APC party security staff was seen in a video being captured by SLPP party security agents in the outskirts of Freetown, before he was handed over to the military. His fate is not known.
President Bio had pronounced a year ago, that the APC is a terrorrist group and said it must be crushed. It seems the dismantling of the APC through state sponsored violence is well underway.
This will pave the way for a defacto one-party state in Sierra Leone, governed by Bio’s SLPP.
Our people, livelihood, businesses and travelers are in dangers today, where is our safety?. This is a wake-up call for the all Sierra Leoneans, not only the President, we have to love our country. Mr. President H.E. Bio please safeguard our lives and properties, this is not the first time; since from 2020 to 2023, it had happened three (times). On March 24, 2020, the former defence minister Mr. Paolo Conteh, did not denied carrying his gun in to state house after his arrest, APC supporters described it as a set-up. Paolo Conteh was charged with 16 counts, and the APC party abandoned him to suffer and go with everything alone, Bio is a good President or else, no African leader would let him survive today. Again on August 10,2022, there was a riot protest, but to all sensible persons that was a secret coup attempt, another jail break in the main Maximum prison( Pademba Rd), there were alot of casualties took place, all these happening because of Bio’s SLPP in power. Now, November 26, 2023, the Sierra Leone military Armory were attacks, another jail break in Pademba Rd prisons, where the most dangerous, condemned criminals been held for the security of the public society, now been freed without the Receiving and Discharge (R&D)process. Most of these criminals being issued arms and ammunition, after their escaped from Pademba Prisons. Our transportation vehicles, Lorries traveling nationwide, where is our security in the country?.
I was once suspended in this noble forum after August 10,2022 incident for the language I altered saying” this is a terrorism”. My fellow writers and readers in this noble platform, how do you describe attacking military Barracks, killing and breaking jails freeing criminals, is that not a terrorism act?. Well the president said it before and I quote from his ward(“President Bio had pronounced a year ago, that the APC is a terrorist group and said it must be crushed. It seems the dismantling of the APC through state sponsored violence is well underway”). President Bio, this will never happen in Rwand under Paul Kagame’s watch. The former President Ernest Koroma ruled Sierra Leone for 11 years, he knows all classified information in the country, President Bio; EBK is our #1 enemy. We voted you in twice for many reasons (a) you were amongst the gallant soldiers that sacrifices their lives to free this country from a one party dictatorship state, as a father of democracy, Captain Strasser wasn’t ready to hand over, you kicked him out and brought democracy, even the US Congress hailed you for that at the time, may God protects you. This is another scenario; after handed over power to the late president Kabba, Bio busy himself minding his own business, Kabba ruled peacefully. Also after 2012 elections defeated by Ernest B. Koroma, Bio leaves Koroma alone to governed and enjoys his presidency, why not Koroma steps aside and do the same?. The United States of America, may God continues to protects that country from it’s enemies, if any leader can copy or imitates USA, that country will be developed because of their Democracy, no one is above the law. The most democratic practicing states on earth, helping the poorest nations as we all knew, but if you try to mess with them, you won’t go freed. You have had all voice notes, audio messages and videos of people, I don’t know, what kind of evidences now you looking for. There are many people that APCs don’t want to see in you gov’t, like Lahai Lawrence Leema, Abuabu and some others because they scared the hell out of them.
The ball is in your court. Thank yuou.
I personally believe that the APC party will continue to use the “scorched earth policies” which means destroying anything useful against the ruling government anytime they are in opposition. Currently, they are trying to reverse the image of our country as the most peaceful country in West Africa and the third most peaceful country in Africa. The unfortunate reality is that the APC party built its foundation on LIES, VIOLENCE , CORRUPTION and TRIBALISM. The APC party first started its campaign by opposing elections before Independence by the late Present Siaka Stevens, who eventually killed most of the original party members who sponsored and supported him.
Unfortunately, the voters gave the party its first opportunity in governing our country and our nation was reduced from “Paradise on Earth” and the “Athens of West Africa” to “Paradise lost” and “Blood Diamond”. Within the 25 years of the one party APC misrule, they systematically occupied and destroyed all our institutions through corruption.
Fast forward, after the international community gave us the second chance to help rebuild our democracy and institutions, after the 10 years civil war, they organized another coup that overthrew late President Tejan Kabba.
In 2007, when the voters decided to give them another chance, the opposition SLPP gave them 11 years to rule in peace without any incidents of jailbreaks, coups/attempted coups or violent protests around the country. Unfortunately, during the 11 years of APC misrule, our country was known as the most corrupt country in the world.
Since the APC lost power in 2018, there have been violent demonstrations in most of their so-called strongholds, two jailbreaks, insurgence or coup attempt against the government.
The reality is, in 1996, majority of the voters elected late President Kabba for two terms and, despite the destructive policies of the APC, he completed his ten years mandate, and now President Bio, who is the founder of our democracy, will definitely complete his second term in 2028 as mandated by 56% of the voters.
Finally, it’s obvious that the former Commander In Chief, Earnest Koroma, had consistent briefings about our ammunition sites and some of his appointees are still manning those depots. But it’s very UNPATRIOTIC to use those classified information to undermine the peace and security of the country for selfish gains and party loyalty.