By Alpha Abu
President Julius Maada Bio has told mourners at an interfaith funeral for 18 security personnel killed during the November 26 attacks in Freetown that their deaths will not go in vain.
The President told hundreds of grieving family members at the country’s military headquarters-Cockrill in Freetown, Wednesday that ‘’your pain is our pain’’ and that ‘’your quest for justice is our mission today’’. He said the time for silence is over and his government’s “pursuit for justice will be tireless and unyielding’’.
The President pointed out that the attackers aimed to discord through violence and fear. He described the events of that day as a dark Sunday during which cowardice struck at the heart of the nation. He said the people are united in grief, having stood steadfast in the face of treachery.
President Bio described the slain men as brave individuals who defended constitutionality, representing an embodiment “of our unwavering spirit as a nation’’. He said the personnel died trying to preserve Sierra Leone’s democracy. He shared the grief of family members of the deceased and said it is a collective pain as a nation.
The president then read out the names of the 15 soldiers, 2 policemen and one correctional service officer whose remains were placed in coffins draped in the national colours stretched out underneath a canopy within the expansive military compound with grieving crowds all around.
In a symbolic gesture of recognition and appreciation of the gallantry of the officers, they were all promoted posthumously.
The Chief of Defence Staff- Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) Lt. General Peter K. Lavahun, Inspector-General of Police William Fayia Sellu, and Correctional Service Acting Director-General Colonel Sheik Sulaiman Massaquoi also paid solemn tribute to their fallen men, reading aloud their names as well as their posthumous new ranks.
The army chief said the men paid the ultimate price and deserved the utmost recognition.
The most senior officer killed was Lt. Colonel Samai-Chief of Operations at the military headquarters. After the funeral service President Bio alongside First Lady Fatima Bio quietly walked toward where the coffins were placed and made one last look at the photos of the men. They were later laid to rest at the military war graves at Lumley in the west end of Freetown.
At around 2 O’clock Sunday 26th November bursts of gunfire erupted at the Wilberforce Army barracks in the west of the capital Freetown. As news began filtering out it became apparent that there was an attack on the Armory where the assailants got hold of weapons and then went on to attack the Murray Town Barracks harbouring the country’s main Arsenal.
Soldiers at Murray Town reportedly fought off their attackers but by late Sunday morning, it was reported that the attackers had breached the male and female correctional facilities and set free hundreds of inmates.
By that time, the government through the Ministry of Information and Civic Education had instituted a nationwide indefinite curfew while loyal government forces tried to repel the attackers. As the day wore on, it became clear the assailants were on the retreat, with images on social media showing abandoned military vehicles, some with scattered arms and ammunition and other paraphernalia, depicting a hasty and desperate retreat.
Later in the day, President Julius Maada Bio tweeted, reassuring a restless populace of his Government having total control of the affairs of the state whilst also announcing efforts to track down the assailants.
The curfew continued the rest of the following day Monday and was readjusted for it to commence the next day from 9 pm to 6 am.
To further reassure the public, President Bio addressed the nation Monday night and was at work the next day Tuesday at the State House.
Reaction to what was soon confirmed by state authorities as an attempted coup was swift- the US Embassy, EU, the regional bloc ECOWAS, and the Commonwealth all extended solidarity to the Government of President Bio and expressed their support for action against perpetrators of the violence.
So far about sixty people have been arrested most of them serving and former soldiers, Information and Civic Education Minister, Chernor Bah told a news conference in Freetown. The most recent of the attackers to be captured is dismissed soldier Amadu Koita believed to be one of the ring leaders of the coup attempt.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (08/12/23)
