By Mohamed Pope Kamara
Deputy National Publicity Secretary (APC)
The recent extradition of international drug lord, Abdullah Alp Üstün, brother-in-law to Dutch cocaine kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, from the UAE to Turkey, should send shockwaves through Sierra Leone, carrying a Sierra Leonean Diplomatic Passport. This event pulls back the curtain on a sordid reality: President Bio’s administration has systematically deceived the public and facilitated Sierra Leone’s descent into a haven for the world’s most wanted criminals. The protection of Jos Leijdekkers is not an isolated scandal; it is the culmination of the Sierra Leone People’s Party’s (SLPP) long history of callous and deceptive actions that have tarnished the nation’s name on the global stage.
A Pattern of Deception, A Legacy of Failure:
The SLPP’s betrayal is not a new phenomenon, but a deep-seated party tradition. Since its early post-independence days, the party has been “marred by a series of deceptions, broken promises, and a consistent failure to live up to its lofty ideals”. From Sir Albert Margai’s authoritarian shift to the corruption and inefficiency that plagued Tejan Kabbah’s post-war government, the SLPP has perfected the art of political deceit. Despite its “New Direction” slogan, the current SLPP administration is a mere repackaging of this legacy, “marred by the same issues that plagued previous SLPP governments: corruption, inefficiency, and broken promises”. This established pattern of lying to the people created the perfect environment for a far greater deception to take root.
Open Arms for a Kingpin, A Closed Fist for Democracy:
While the SLPP government restricts the democratic rights of its citizens to hold public rallies and engages in what critics call “dirty politicking,” it has rolled out the red carpet for international crime. Jos Leijdekkers, a fugitive facing 74 years in prison for large-scale cocaine trafficking, torture, and murder, was not hiding in the shadows. He lived in plain sight, socializing with the nation’s most powerful family.
Disturbing evidence places him at a New Year’s church service with President Bio’s family, filmed by the First Lady. He was a guest at the immigration chief’s private birthday party, and was even seen at the president’s private farm. Most damningly, reports confirm he was in a relationship with President Bio’s daughter, Agnes. When these reports surfaced, the government’s response was a masterclass in the deception it has honed for decades. The presidency claimed to ave “no knowledge” of Leijdekkers, and the police, in a laughable “open-source investigation,” declared they were looking for a man named “Omar Sheriff,” Leijdekkers’ known alias, but could not find him. This was a deliberate and callous lie, designed to insult the intelligence of every Sierra Leonean.
The Cost of Corruption: A Nation’s Reputation in Ruins:
The consequences of the government’s actions are severe and far-reaching. By sheltering a man whose criminal network grosses tens of millions per month, the SLPP has made Sierra Leone a key artery in the transnational cocaine trade. The “Africa route” now accounts for a third of Europe’s cocaine supply, and the Bio administration has willingly positioned our nation as a central hub. This not only fosters domestic instability but also paints Sierra Leone as a narco-state in the eyes of the international community.
The reputational damage is catastrophic. What foreign investor will trust a country where the government protects drug lords? What international partner will offer aid to a regime that lies so brazenly? The SLPP’s actions have isolated Sierra Leone, associating its name not with resilience and progress, but with corruption and organized crime. This scandal proves that the government’s promises of transparency and fighting corruption are utterly hollow. The Anti-Corruption Commission stands accused of selective prosecution, and now we see why: the most significant corruption happens at the very top, under presidential protection.
Conclusion: A Call for Accountability
Under Julius Maada Bio, the SLPP government has shown its true colors. It is a regime that bans opposition rallies while hosting kingpin birthday parties. The administration speaks of “Free Quality Education” while providing a free pass for a multi-billion euro drug empire. The capture of Leijdekkers’ associate Abdullah Alp Üstün should serve as a stark reminder that the tentacles of this criminal network are global, and the SLPP government is complicit.
The people of Sierra Leone deserve better than a government that is “deceptive, uncouth, uncivilized, dirty and provocative”. It is time to hold the SLPP accountable for its treachery. The world is watching and sees a nation being sold out by its leaders. We must demand answers: How did a wanted drug lord get such powerful protection? And we must ensure that this final, unforgivable deception marks the end of the SLPP’s destructive grip on our nation’s future.