Mr. Abdulai Caulker serves as Sierra Leone’s National Security Coordinator and Adviser to the President on security matters, heading the ONS. His Terms of Reference encompasses providing strategic leadership to the ONS, supporting the National Security Council, coordinating the national security architecture, and advising GoSL on all security-related issues. With over two decades of dedicated service as one of the founding members of the ONS, his leadership has been instrumental in advancing post-conflict stabilization and comprehensive security sector reform.
Under his stewardship, the ONS has achieved significant milestones, including the successful management of the Security Sector Reform Implementation Project and the 2018 National Elections Early Warning and Early Response efforts. He has driven the launch of the nation’s first National Security Policy and Strategy and fostered enhanced inter-agency collaboration, contributing substantially to Sierra Leone’s standing as one of the safest countries in Africa and the world.
A defining hallmark of Mr. Caulker’s tenure is his uncompromising intolerance toward drug trafficking, substance abuse, narcotics, and organised crime. He has consistently portrayed drug trafficking as a grave national threat that undermines stability, public health, and international reputation. Through the ONS and the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), he has championed rigorous, coordinated operations resulting in multiple interceptions of illicit cargoes at strategic entry points, including the Queen Elizabeth II Quay. His public warnings to traffickers of relentless pursuit by security forces, coupled with support for the prompt destruction of seized drugs, have reinforced a strict zero-tolerance policy for organised criminalities across the board.
The NS Coord’s proactive stance extends to tackling the scourge of drug abuse among the youth and dismantling cross-border trafficking networks. By chairing high-level stakeholder engagements and forging stronger collaborations with regional and international partners, he has intensified enforcement actions and preventive measures. This resolute commitment has been pivotal in curbing organized criminal activities and safeguarding national integrity.
These determined efforts against narcotics and transnational threats have yielded tangible results, positioning Sierra Leone among the top safest nations in Africa, ranked 8th on the continent with a Global Peace Index score of 1.937 (74th globally in 2026). Such ratings reflect enhanced societal safety and security, underscoring how his leadership in winning the fight against harmful drugs and organized crime has bolstered peace, stability, and public confidence.
Throughout his service, Mr. Caulker upholds the highest standards of transparency, rule of law, and accountability. He promotes ethical governance, evidence-based decision-making, and inclusive stakeholder engagement, ensuring all operations align with democratic principles and national laws while building enduring trust in state institutions.
Suffice it to note that Sierra Leone’s new national security architecture has never been tested since its inception in 2002 until the incident involving the failed coup plot of 26th November 2023. During this trying moment, in collaboration with his colleagues within the national security framework, Mr. Abdulai Caulker distinguished himself as an astute leader thereby saving Sierra Leone and her citizens from being plunged into another abyss of wanton destruction and carnage. Mr. Abdulai Caulker is therefore a gem and a national asset that Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad should celebrate at all times.