Sierra Leone Police has declared Muctarr Ali and Partner Salamatu Turay wanted on allegations of riotous conduct, incitement and abuse of social media.
Both Ali and Turay are residents of Makeni and have been suspected of being members of the Opposition All Peoples Congress.
Regardless of the physical damages and other forms of bitter experience incurred in the Makeni Protest/ Riot several years ago, it appears there is still no peace of mind for Muctarr Ali and partner – Salamatu Turay.
These young folks are now fugitives as their names and photos were among those declared wanted by the police on the Makeni-Generator saga. The Makeni Generator saga was when the SLPP-led government of President Julius Maada Bio wanted to relocate Generator Plants bought for the people of Makeni by the Catholics to the southern part of Bo. Makeni is known to be the main stronghold of the Opposition APC which happens to be the hometown of former President Ernest Bai Koroma.
The Northern Region and Makeni City, in particular, became a target of upheavals since the assumption of office by President Julius Maada Bio in 2018. The Inhabitants of both Makeni and the entire North have since been subjected to all forms of humiliation.
It came to a time when the People of Makeni City objected and even protested when a combined team of Armed Police and Military Personnel stormed the City to forcefully cart away the only Generator Machine used for the supply of Electricity in the City.
This resulted in a blood bath in which a lot of innocent people were injured and killed while others were arrested and sent to jail.
Many people including Muctarr Ali and partner- Salamatu Turay, contrived an escape and have since been on the run.
As in the case of several others, this couple is being pursued by the Sierra Leone Police for the alleged offences of Conspiracy to cause unrest, Riotous Conduct and Related Offences.
The Times Sierra Leone Northern Correspondent in Makeni City said Muctarr Ali and Salamatu Turay have been issued with a Warrant of Arrest and their No. 27 Rogbeneh Road Residence was recently raided by Armed men in Uniform when rumours went out that Muctarr Ali and Salamatu Turay have returned to Makeni City.
Sources said there is a ray of indiscriminate arrests across the Northern Region and it would be advisable for both Muctarr Ali and partner – Salamatu Turay to keep their distance even though they were not actually involved in the Protest/Riot.
Times SL Newspaper also learned that quite a good number of those in police detention and prisons were allegedly identified by supporters of the ruling SLPP-led government who had grievances before and are now taking undue advantage of that.
Civil Society Organizations have also questioned the unlawful arrest and detention of people mostly in Opposition strongholds. Marcella Samba Sesay of Campaign for Good Governance, a vibrant civil society voice in Sierra Leone said how police are executing orders remained questionable. She said the police should try to be professional and should see supporters of the opposition as Sierra Leoneans, not their political targets as is being exhibited.
Sierra Leone is presently hell for members of the opposition. Since President Bio took office in 2018, there have been over 1000 opposition supporters in different detention centres across the country.
Police spokesman Brima Kamara said all those wanted to have questions to answer. ” we are not cheery picking people who to arrest but we follow the law and those that are defaulters of it. So if anyone is saying we are taking instructions from the ruling party, then it is their cup of tea. As for us, we know we have enough evidence against all those declared wanted” Kamara stated.
Apart from Ali and Salamatu, there are a good number of people in the strongholds of the Opposition APC whose whereabouts are unknown. A few days ago, the Bombi Descendants Organizations summoned a news conference where they told the Press that during the Generator skirmishes in Makeni, they noticed that over 30 people were missing. They therefore called on the government to come out and tell them the whereabouts of their close ones. There are allegations that during the Generator skirmishes in Makeni, over 50 people were buried in mass graves, and that people should not be surprised not to see their close ones or relatives.