Sierra Leone Says the Coup Failed
Noriko Watanabe and Sawako Uchida
Modern Tokyo Times
The government of Sierra Leone is claiming that attacks on Sunday mounted to a coup attempt. However, this coup was foiled in Freetown.
The Chief of Defense Staff (Lieutenant General Patrick Lavahun) and the Information Minister (Chernor Bah) claim that former bodyguards of the former president were to blame for the coup attempt. Nevertheless, the former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, condemned the violence in Freetown.
Bah uttered, “The incident was a failed attempted coup. The intention was to illegally subvert and overthrow a democratically elected government.”
Voice of America reports, “According to officials, attackers targeted the central prison and several police stations Sunday, freeing about 2,200 detainees and killing over 20 people. Thirteen military officers and a civilian have been arrested following the incidents, with an additional two dozen people, including five army majors and two captains, being placed on a wanted list.”
Recent elections resulted in President Julius Maada Bio being re-elected to govern. However, the election result was questioned by the main opposition in Sierra Leone.
America and the European Union also raised concerns about the election.
Malam Nuhu Ribadu – the national security adviser of Nigeria – said: “Anything that will interfere with democracy, peace, security and stability of Sierra Leone will not be accepted by Ecowas and by Nigeria.”
Lee Jay Walker says, “It is ironic that Nigeria once more seeks to intervene in the internal affairs of another country – similar to statements declared against Niger. After all, Christians are butchered in various parts of Nigeria – from Islamists connected to Boko Haram to Fulani Muslims who frequently kill Christians. Therefore, Sierra Leone needs to solve its internal problems without Nigeria.”
The BBC reports, “The entire country has been under a number of curfews since Sunday morning, when men carrying heavy weaponry took to the streets of Freetown.”
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