AUGUST 10TH PROTEST PLOTTERS ON POLICE RADAR

By Yusufu Abu Sesay

The Sierra Leone Police have officially launched a nationwide hunt for the organizers of the August 10th protest, which rocked the nation in 2022. The wanted individuals include Abubakarr Turay, Ibrahim Kamara, Sorie Kargbo, Foday Samura, Mohamed Conteh, Alimamy Conteh, Ibrahim Jalloh, Saidu Sesay, Edward Samura, Brima Dumbuya, Patrick Foday Kargbo, Osman J. Conteh, Abdul Kamara, Issa K. Bangura, Alieu Kargbo, among others. They are accused of orchestrating what the government has described as an attempted insurrection.

According to a police statement issued from headquarters in Freetown, Alimamy Conteh and his associates are believed to have played key roles in planning and executing the protest. The statement revealed that police officers have been conducting daily raids on the residences of the named individuals, but most of them reportedly fled before they could be apprehended.

A full-scale manhunt has been activated, and the police are appealing to the public to provide credible information that may lead to their capture.

The August 10th protest remains one of the most serious civil disturbances in recent memory, marked by clashes between demonstrators and security forces over economic hardship, poor governance, and the rising cost of living.

Police statement disclosed that Alimamy Conteh, a resident of Makeni City, widely known as a stronghold of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) is believed to have been the ringleader of the entire protest. The government has strongly condemned the incident and has vowed to bring all organizers to justice.

The police have classified Alimamy Conteh and his alleged co-conspirators as persons of interest with suspected links to underground groups accused of fueling unrest. The public is being warned that harbouring any of the wanted individuals is a criminal offense punishable by law.

Authorities reiterated their commitment to upholding peace and security across the country and stressed that any actions aimed at destabilizing the state will not be tolerated.

According to Police statement, the police’s initial attempt to arrest Alimamy Conteh and others in Makeni was unsuccessful, as they had already escaped. The whereabouts of most of the suspects remain unknown as of press time.

Further reports indicate that even Alimamy Conteh’s wife, Hajara Kanu, and the spouses of other suspected plotters fled their homes, allegedly to avoid being questioned or used to trace the fugitives.