Heavy gunfires erupted in the early hours of Sunday in Freetown, Sierra Leone, as unknown assailants made attempt to enter into the armoury at Wilberforce, located not far away from the Presidential palace.
“I bring you greetings from the Presidential Lodge in Freetown. In the early hours of this morning, there was a breach of security at the Military Barracks at Wilberforce in Freetown, as some unidentified individuals attacked the military armoury,” Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio said in a statement delivered this morning and seen by JollofNews.
As the capital city is still under shock, fears and anxiety continue to prevail in many areas. The motives behind the security breach is yet to be determined by authorities, raising concerns over the ability of the country to preserve democracy and minimize the risks of wrecking chances to maintain peace in the West African nation.
President Bio assured Sierra Leonians that security forces have succeeded in repelling the attackers while indicating that “calm has been restored.”
He then added: “As the combined team of our Security Forces continues to route out the remnant of the fleeing renegades, a nationwide curfew has been declared and citizens are encouraged to stay indoors.”
The Sierra Leonian leader reiterated his commitment to make peace a reality, calling it “priceless.” He also made it clear that his government will remain firm on its ground when it comes to protecting “the peace and security of Sierra Leone against the forces that wish to truncate our much-cherished stability.”
In wake of the attack, Sierra Leone Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor A. Bah put out a statement suggesting that the situation is ‘under control.’
“To enable the security forces to continue the process of apprehending the suspects, a nationwide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country. We strongly recommend citizens to stay indoors,” he added.
