Cecil Obafemi Nicol who was nearly hit by a gunshot at the APC (All People’s Congress) headquarters in Sierra Leone’s capital, freetown went into hiding for almost a day.
He is one of the executive officials of APC, one of the most popular political parties in the country.
The shoot-out which occured on 15th June, 2023 on the eve of Sierra Leone’s general elections was a way of intimidating APC politicians.
Nicol was in the party headquarters with other officials planning to deploy party agents in all polling stations across the country when state security forces appeared at the building firing live rounds and teargas canisters.
An APC member commonly known as White Boy was fatally injured with no one held to account.
Since police harassment and intimidation against opposition politicians still continued, Cecil Obafemi Nicol ran away from Sierra Leone to the Gambia where he stayed for briefly before he left on 15th June, 2023 for the United States for his safety.
Sierra Leone is not safe at the moment as extra-judicial killings are secretly being carried out by security forces.
In retaliation, mob rule is taking root as thugs linked to the ruling party are often hacked to death by unknown men. Arbitrary arrest and detention of opposition politicians is also a norm.
Even grassroot members of the party are not spared, and they fight back by protesting against government.
Cecil Obafemi Nicol Escapes Police Brutality
