Hooded men on the streets of Sierra Leone
Curfew imposed on Sierra Leone after attack on army barracks in capital city
A nationwide curfew has been imposed in Sierra Leone after gunmen attacked the country’s main and largest military barracks in Freetown, the capital city.
The onslaught of the gunman, no doubt, had raised fears of a breakdown of law and order amid a surge of coups in the region.
Indeed, detention centers, including the Pademba Road Prisons — holding more than 2,000 inmates — were attacked just as security forces fought to restore calm during sustained shootouts at the Wilberforce military barracks, according to Information Minister Chernor Bah.
“In the early hours of Sunday November 26th 2023, some unidentified individuals attempted to break into the military armory at Wilberforce barracks.
“The public is assured that the government and our state security forces are in control,” Bah said. “To enable security forces to continue the process of apprehending the suspects, a nationwide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country.
“We strongly advise citizens to stay indoors. Please follow the official Ministry of Information and Civic Education channels and our official handles for accurate information and updates on the situation,” wrote Chernor Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, in a news release issued later on Sunday and shared on social media.
However, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio announced the curfew earlier on Sunday.
The unidentified gunmen were said to have attacked the military armory within the Wilberforce barracks in the capital, Freetown, early morning, Bio said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding that they were driven back by security forces and “calm is being restored.”
“As the combined team of our Security Forces continue to root out the remnant of the fleeing renegades, a nationwide curfew has been declared and citizens are encouraged to stay indoors,” he wrote.
An Associated Press journalist in the capital said that gunshots were still heard in the city hours after the government assured residents of calm, although it wasn’t clear who was behind the exchange of fire, nor if any arrests were made.