Secretary-General for the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) has cautioned government about renewed attacks on their members particularly in the South-East regions, strongholds of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
Such attacks, according to the scribe, can undermine peace and security in the country especially when there is a fight back.
Lansana Dumbuya also called on the police to look into the incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice. As custodians of law and order, the scribe said, the police should not sit down with folded arms while one set of people is terrorising and intimidating the other.
Dumbuya made the passionate appeal at a press briefing held last week at the party’s headquarters in Freetown where members were briefed about work done in the tripartite committee.
He singled out political attacks carried out in Bonthe district by thugs linked to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) against APC members including the youth leader.
“The police must investigate these incidents and bring perpetrators to justice so that there would be peace and national cohesion,” he appealed.
The scribe was a bit stunned and shocked at the Bonthe attacks as he expected the ruling party to keep the peace in the face of an election probe to end a long-reigning post-election stalemate.
The commitment to peace and national cohesion was high on government’s agenda during a three-day dialogue between APC and SLPP brokered by the international community (Commonwealth, African Union and ECOWAS).
The dialogue resulted into a communiqué that restrained the two political parties from violence and thuggery so that the investigation committee would arrive at the truth about what went wrong with the June polls.
But, according to the Secretary-General, government whose role is to keep the peace at all times appears to have embarked on new spate of state-sponsored violence that could derail peaceful co-existence in the interlude.
It could be more dangerous when the police turn a blind eye at the attacks and sometimes carry them out.
Opposition leader and Presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara also drew government’s attention to the brutal attacks on APC members and supporters pointing out specific places and times in which his people had come under attack.
Kamara wanted the incumbent President Julius Maada Bio to warn his supporters to refrain from thuggery so that a peaceful and credible election could take place.
Bio, who many said, was allergic to peace and tranquility wanted the violence to continue as he saw it as a definite political advantage.
Several opposition politicians said he hoped to make it in the polls through political violence, intimidation and harassment and would provide solace for the thugs.
The attacks in President Julius Maada Bio’s hometown are the latest in a series.
Before June 24, 2023 general elections, APC members were also allegedly attacked in Bonthe district injuring, displacing and leaving dozens in hospitals. Amid political skirmishes, the police had failed to play a neutral role as they heavily fell down on APC members.
According to reports, one of the APC youth leaders spent a day in a police cell before released the following day. It also happened in several parts of the country as long as the violence is perpetrated by members of the ruling party.
Looking back at recent times, the APC scribe reminded the police about alleged widespread killings and kidnappings of APC supporters in SLPP strongholds.
In the southern town of Pujehun, 500 women were attacked following a declaration of their political support for the wife of the opposition leader, Dr Samura Kamara.
Mrs Samura Kamara also known as Massa Rogers hailed from Pujehun and the Wanjamarians saw it as a big opportunity to have the first First Lady.
However, their brothers in the SLPP are not comfortable with such move and decided to go on the offensive.
The attacks, according to the APC chairperson in Pujehun, also led to injuries with many hospitalised at various health facilities. The police, as usual, brought no attacker to justice fearing government reprisals.
As the assailants enjoyed a field day, the attacks went on unabated and sometimes in a more brutal manner. The APC Chairlady’s house in Bo city was torched alongside four vehicles parked in the compound.
The chair, Cecilia Ngobeh narrowly escaped death, and fingers were also pointed at SLPP operatives, but police arrested no one. APC’s Public Relations Officer, Mohamed Moriba was also chased out of his house which they later set ablaze. Like other APC supporters, he also sustained injuries for which no action was taken.
The scale of violence in Bo, Bonthe and Pujehun was no difference from the one Kenema city in Eastern Sierra Leone where a large number of APC supporters were also murdered, injured and driven out of their homes in what appeared waves of widespread political attacks.
The convoy of APC’s running mate, Chernor Maju Bah was blocked in Kenema and portraits of Dr Samura Kamara were torn off during campaign trails as images of irate youth and naughty boys dragging Kamara’s portraits on the streets of Kenema were viral on media platforms.
Here in Freetown, APC members and supporters were also victims of political thuggery allegedly unleashed by armed guards acting on PAOPA order.
Nurse Mahawa who succumbed to the barrel at the party office during a police shoot out at APC headquarters was one among several attacks.
An ardent APC supporter commonly known as White Boy was also fatally hit in subsequent police armed raids.
Top executive members of the party including leader and presidential candidate narrowly escaped assassination in a gun attack carried out by armed policemen few days after the June, 2023 elections.
The party leader, Dr Samura Kamara, Mayor of Freetown, Aki Sawyer and others were placed under siege at the party office as live rounds and teargas rented the air.
They however emerged safe after hours of gunshots but with sunken hearts as the incidents would have marked the end of their political career had their lives taken away.
The attacks have ceased for the moment, but it does not mean they are over; they may resurface in any part of the country especially in SLPP strongholds.
It is however a different case for APC members who commit crimes in other parts of the country.
On mere allegations, they are quickly raided, rounded up and detained indefinitely.
Incidents of political violence in Constituency 110 in the Western Rural district also left several APC members arrested although it was allegedly orchestrated, fuelled and financed by senior SLPP members and carried out by thugs linked to the ruling party.
A notorious thug, ‘ARATA’ who was notorious political violence was said to have destroyed election boxes and materials during the voting in police presence, but nothing came out of it.
Former Transport Minister, Kabineh Kallon also allegedly took part in the violence but was spared by police officers. However, APC members and supporters bore the brunt as former political and Public Affairs minister, Karmoh Kabba was arrested and charged with malicious damage offences.
He spent months behind bars before he got back his freedom.
A similar scenario also occurred in Tonko Limba in Kambia district where an APC supporter was allegedly killed by SLPP thugs who were also let off the hook by police officers.
However, APC supporters were arrested and locked up after saturating them with teargas canisters, and later released without charges. Such double-standard policing has eroded public confidence in the police force.
Bye-election in Koinadugu district also conducted in the midst of machetes and other missiles with APC supporters on the wrong end. They allegedly suffered various casualties in the hands of SLPP without the police coming to their aid.