The Sierra Leone Police have officially launched a nationwide manhunt for the organizers of the August 10th protest, which rocked the nation in 2022. The wanted individuals include Abubakarr Turay, Ibrahim Bangura, Mohamed Lamin Kamara, Foday Samura, Mohamed Conteh among other co-conspirators. They are accused of orchestrating what the government has described as an attempted insurrection.
According to a police statement issued from headquarters in Freetown, Mohamed Lamin Kamara and other suspects are believed to have played key roles in planning and executing the protest. The statement revealed that police officers have been conducting daily raids on the residences of the named individuals, but most of them reportedly fled before they could be apprehended.
A full-scale manhunt has been activated, and the police are appealing to the public to provide credible information that may lead to their capture.
The August 10th protest remains one of the most serious civil disturbances in recent memory, marked by clashes between demonstrators and security forces over economic hardship, poor governance, and the rising cost of living.
Police statement disclosed that Mohamed Kamara, resident in the east end of Freetown is believed to have been one of the ringleaders of the entire protest. The government has strongly condemned the incident and has vowed to bring all organizers to justice.
The police have classified the aforementioned alleged conspirators as persons of interest with suspected links to underground groups accused of organizing the protest. The public is being warned that harbouring any of the wanted individuals is a criminal offense punishable by law.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to upholding peace and security across the country and stressed that any actions aimed at destabilizing the state will not be tolerated.
According to the statement, the police’s initial attempt to arrest protesters in Freetown was unsuccessful, as they had already escaped. The whereabouts of most of the suspects remain unknown as of press time.
Further reports indicate that even the closed relatives and the spouses of suspected protesters fled their homes, allegedly to avoid being questioned or used to trace the fugitives.