ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) is slowly losing grip in West Africa owing to allegations of double standards in keeping the peace and protecting democracy in most African states.
The sub-regional bloc stands between the devil and deep Blue sea as they strive to satisfy the people and same time protect governments whether third-terms or illegal.
ECOWAS will soon face such situation in Sierra Leone as authorities have started calling for an ECOMOG (ECOWAS Monitoring Group) standby force owing to the country’s fragile security situation.
ECOMOG, the armed wing of ECOWAS, is usually formed up by troops contributed by member states for a particular task usually a military intervention.
A prominent SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) politician wanted to see an ECOMOG force on the Sierra Leonean soil as trust in the local force diminishes owing to attacks on the main armoury at Wilberforce Barracks as well as key military and police installations in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown.
The country’s main prison on Pademba Road in Freetown was broken into by unidentified assailants and let lose 1, 890 prisoners.
Arms and ammunition including heavy artillery were made away by the attackers as they bulldozed roadblocks mounted on the Freetown-Masiaka main motor road.
Soldiers and police officers were killed in the armed attacks while many were taken hostage.
The attackers’ sudden disappearance after the mayhem remains the most dreadful act as no one can tell what their main intention is?
Fear and panic also hangs on the atmosphere as the attackers remain in Sierra Leone’s jungle as attacks on the high way could be expected at any time.
Considering the low trust in the army, ECOWAS would be the only body Sierra Leone Government would turn to for military assistance when the assailants hit again.
But, the Sub-regional bloc will not succeed this time owing to double standards, and most times, its penchant to come too much to government’s side. This view is widely shared by prominent men in the West African sub-region.
The sub-regional bloc, according to ex-Liberian President, George Opong Weah is bound to fail in any attempt for military intervention as it failed in Niger, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Fasso and Gabon. ECOWAS, President Weah said, is more reactive than proactive.
Immediately after the Niger Coup in July, this year, Mr Weah was quoted saying that “as long as ECOWAS tolerates institutional coups that allow life-time presidencies, there will always be military coups.”
The former President also made it clear that military coups could not be easily condemned without first opposing those who carry out institutional coups.
Weah’s views are also supported by the Gambian opposition leader who also argued that those who create the conditions for coups must also be stopped before stopping military intervention.
Mama Kandeh who heads the Gambian Democratic Party hit out at ECOWAS for considering the use of military force against the Niger military government but failed to stop the detained leader, Mohamed Bazoum from respecting democratic principles while in power.
The current situation reminisces the 1997 political crisis in which President Ahmed Tejan Kabba was toppled by junior army officers who later set up the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).
While in Guinea seeking refuge, then President appealed to ECOWAS to get him back to power, and that was how late Nigerian President, General Sani ordered an ECOMOG force led by Nigerian Army commander, Maxwell Khobe to restore the then Sierra Leonean President and defend the people of Sierra Leone.
Althouh Kabba’s government was democratically elected, the disband of the national army strained relationship between him and armed forces, an action that hunted him for the rest of his political life.
Despite the fatal error, ECOWAS, supported by the United Nations, came to his aid since the government was recognised by Sierra Leoneans and the international community.
The AFRC guys were chased out, and 24 who fell in the hands of the security forces were executed, a move that sent a loud and clear message to the world and would-be coupists that Sierra Leone would always remain a democratic state.
The dust settled and 25 years past, there had never been a move for a coup or subversion until quite lately when Sierra Leoneans woke up to heavy bombardment in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown.
Political authorities initially saw the act as a security breach but later referred to it as an attempted coup when the plan became clear although the army chief still maintained that the attacks never amounted to a coup.
However, head of the police is investigating with suspicion of an attempt to unseat the President and take over the administration of state. Several arrest have been made including top APC officials who police are trying to link to the attempted coup.
Former Minister of Youth Affairs, Bai Mahmoud Bangura and APC National Organising Secretary is also currently held at the Pademba Road prison in connection to Sunday’s shooting.
A forcefully retired senior police officer, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Alfred Karrow Kamara was picked up at his home in Freetown and passed two nights in a police cell.
He has however been granted bail but an albatross still hangs around his neck as he grapples with allegations of a coup without knowing when the case will come to an end.
Police high command has also put out a ‘Wanted Notice’ for the arrest of the alleged coup plotters. Chief Superintendent Mohamed Turay aka Yaetay Yaetay is among those on the run while others still remain in custody.
Although the assailants’ act have been condemned by almost all quarters of society, Mohamed Konneh’s votes stealing also comes under intense criticism with many believing that his action has landed the country in its current state where no one is safe.
Konneh is head of ECSL (Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone ), a body mandated by law to conduct and supervise all public elections in Sierra Leone.
This function is further clarified by the Public Elections Act, 2022 which, despite its recent manipulation, says the electoral body must conduct free, fair and credible elections.
In what appears an obsession to see SLPP in power after June 24 elections, the ECSL Chief however failed to live up to his legal mandate by converting the votes in favour of the incumbent candidate, President Bio.
Calls for Konneh to publish credible data and results by polling stations and districts were rejected outright even when funding cut and visa restrictions were announced by the United States.
All foreign and local election observers never endorsed the June-24 election as one that was free and fair with EU team taking the lead.
All aspects of the polls especially the election environment, insecurity, intimidation and harassment, voting, counting, collation, tabulation and announcement of the results was questioned by local bodies and the international community, and the call for the investigation of the result was heard from every corner.
As pressure mounted on government, President Bio accepted to dialogue with the main opposition, All People’s Congress in a peace deal facilitated by the Commonwealth, Africa Union and ECOWAS resulting into a communique that placed obligation on the two sides of the conflict.
SLPP and APC agreed to investigate the election fraud, discontinue politically motivated trials, release all political detainees and resettle those driven out of their communities by political violence.
Most of the demands have been met as few prisoners were released and political trials discontinued, but the investigation of the election fraud was thwarted by the attacks last Sunday, a day that came before the actual date of investigation.
Many Sierra Leoneans hold the view that the attacks on the armoury was stage-managed by the authorities to halt the investigation of the election fraud which should have been in full swing at this moment, but many others disagree.
However, the current situation in the country is not conducive for the investigation to commence, and if situation remains in its current state, it is quite clear that the fraud will go unchecked with Bio remaining on the driving seat.
As the stalemate continues, ti is highly likely that Konneh and his collaborators would be roped in for an electoral coup as he stole the mandate of the people of Sierra Leone.