By Ibrahim Kanu
In the wake of the deadly August 10, 2022 protest in Sierra Leone, new disturbing allegations are surfacing, suggesting a broader pattern of politically motivated detentions, extrajudicial treatment, and rights abuses under the pretext of national security.
While official accounts framed the protest as violent and lawless — citing attacks on security forces and widespread destruction — emerging evidence points to deeply troubling incidents that may have occurred behind the scenes, particularly targeting individuals perceived to be aligned with the main opposition, the All People’s Congress (APC).
One such case has recently come to light through independent sources familiar with the events of that day. A man named Tejan Jalloh, who resides at 44 City Road, Wellington, is alleged to have been forcibly taken from his neighborhood in the Fourah Bay area of Freetown, shortly after the protests erupted. Witnesses claim he was looking for his younger brother who had gone missing while fetching water when a group of masked men in a black truck — believed to be either plainclothes security operatives or state-aligned enforcers — abducted him near a public tap.
What followed appears to be a chilling sequence of events. According to corroborating reports, Tejan was transported to an undisclosed location far from his regional police jurisdiction. There, he was allegedly subjected to sustained torture, beatings, and psychological torment — including being tied, stripped naked, doused with human waste, and interrogated for names of APC members supposedly involved in organizing the protest.
In a particularly harrowing detail, Tejan is said to have sustained permanent damage to one of his eyes after being hit with a gun butt. His body, by some accounts, was also burned with lit cigarettes, leaving scarring that attests to the brutality. The operatives allegedly claimed affiliation with a special wing of the Sierra Leone Police, and repeatedly threatened execution if their demands for information were not met. They reportedly accused him of inciting civil unrest and vowed that he and his family would be “disappeared” without consequence.
Tejan’s house was allegedly set on fire while he remained in detention — a move many believe was an attempt to erase his presence and silence him permanently. Remarkably, his escape came only after one of his captors — reportedly an old schoolmate — recognized him and secretly arranged for his release, warning that his execution was imminent.
The survivor is believed to have escaped through a window under the cover of darkness, making a days-long trek across mountainous terrain into neighboring Guinea. There, he is reported to be in hiding, suffering from physical trauma, malnutrition, and psychological scars while fearing for his safety.
While these accounts remain unacknowledged by the authorities, several observers have raised alarm at what appears to be a targeted campaign against political dissidents and whistleblowers, particularly in the lead-up to the 2023 elections. Human rights watchdogs have long warned of the creeping criminalization of dissent in Sierra Leone, particularly when it intersects with grassroots activism, opposition mobilization, or public criticism of government institutions.
The absence of transparent investigations into forced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions, and torture claims continues to undermine public trust in law enforcement and governance. Despite multiple requests for comment, neither the Sierra Leone Police nor representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs have publicly responded to these new claims.
International human rights organizations are being urged to take note of the growing pattern of suppression and to conduct independent investigations. The case from Fourah Bay, tied to the events of August 10, may be just one of many yet undocumented — representing a dark undercurrent beneath what has been officially portrayed as a crackdown on civil unrest.
As calls for justice and accountability mount, the fate of others who disappeared during the chaos — including the abducted younger brother in this case — remains uncertain. Sierra Leone’s fragile democratic landscape may well hinge on how such truths are reckoned with and whether the space for political expression can be restored without fear of violent reprisal.