The former Chief Superintendent of the Sierra Leone Police (CSP), Dr Rev Reuben S. Shyllon narrowly escaped death on 10th August 2023 Freetown.
Reports revealed that Dr Rev Reuben S. Shyllon is well known as a staunch supporter of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, escaped in the hands of security forces who stormed his residence to lynch him on the fatal day.
According to sources Dr Shyllon is part of the ex-police and ex-military who are serving in the security committee of the All People’s Congress party.
According to neighbours in the vicinity of Dr Shyllon’s Hamilton resident, in the Western Peninsula of Freetown Sierra Leone, a team of military and armed police officers stormed the area, early on the 10th August 2023, which caused panic in the community.
Neighbours furthered that the said armed officers after Intimidation and Harassment, broke into the residence of Dr Rev Reuben S. Shyllon, where neighbours heard cries for help from his daughters and occupants in the house.
According to them, no one ventured to rescue the vulnerable family because of the presence of the heavily armed officers and their menacing posture they took in the immediate vicinity of the house.
It was disclosed that after the soldiers left, the resident neighbours then went into the compound where they discovered that the entire house had been ransacked and vandalised while the occupants, including the daughters of the Reverend, were severely manhandled.
Upon inquiry on the where about of the Reverend, it was disclosed that he had escaped during the initial appearance of the armed police and military men in the area.
Since then he has not been seen.
The situation in the community was tough and rough, after the security forces discovered that Dr Shyllon has escaped, that angered them most and it was then they embark on manhandling of the occupants in the house and vandalism of the resident.
A close family friend, who spoke to this medium on the basis of anonymity said, this entire search and targeting of Rev. Shyllon emanated after the election of June 24th 2023. He disclosed that Reverend, an ex-police officer, was one of the men appointed by the main opposition party APC to serve as Polling agent in Hamilton.
And after the election, on the 25th June 2023, he was also among those attacked at the party’s Headquarters, where security forces fired live bullets, killing a 60 years old innocent nurse, Matron Hawanatu and 27 years old Youth Whiter Boy in the said office.
During that fateful day the APC party office was also full with both Local and International journalists, including Local and International observers who were part of the Press Conference held, listening to the main opposition party’s Leader and Presidential candidate Dr Samura M. W. Kamara’s position on the elections.
Since that day, our source furthered that, the ruling SLPP party Youths and armed security officers have continually raided the area suspecting of APC followers, often firing live bullets and teargas at peaceful opposition members.
It was therefore not surprising when they heard that security forces were raiding homes of known supporters of the APC, who were former security people on allegations of supporting the APC, and Dr Rev Reuben S. Shyllon would be a target.
This medium has also discovered that, today it is a crime for people to support the main opposition APC in the country even though there is no evidence of Dr Shyllon’s involvement into violence, neither the government to substantiate their claim, But there has been widespread arrest of known ex-police and ex-military officers, especially those in, from Northwest of the country.
Many ex-security officers have disappeared after their arrest and refused access to their lawyers.
Some serving military and police officers have also been arrested while others declared wanted by the police hierarchy.
As we go to press, the where about of Dr Rev Reuben S. Shyllon is unknown while close family member said he is feared of threat and life of Rev Shyllon, if he is not already dead ‘only God Knows.