Sierra Leone protest: Wetin dey happen for Sierra Leone?

People run away during an anti-government protest, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, August 10, 2022

Reuters

At least two police officers and one civilian don die after one day of anti-government protests for Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, staff at the city’s main mortuary tell Reuters on Wednesday.

Sierra Leone’s goment don previously say pipo die, but dem no say how many, as protesters throw rocks and burn tyres for di streets out of frustration sake of worsening economic hardship and oda issues.

Long-standing frustration bin dey gingered by rising prices for basic goods for Sierra Leone, wia more dan half di population of around 8 million dey live below di poverty line, according to di World Bank.

Di goment on Wednesday impose nationwide curfew to prevent further breakdown of lawa and order.

Wetin really dey happun?

Tori be say di West African country, bin dey struggle wit rising inflation, increase in di cost of liing and fuel crisis,

Discontent bin dey boil over for number of reasons, wey include perceived lack of goment support for ordinary pipo wey dey struggle according to one constitutional lawyer and governance activist, Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah.

”Na shikini empathy dey show from di central goment to encourage folks say dem see as dem dey suffer, and dat dem understand say dis na tough economic times

Hundreds of protesters come carry ogbonge waka enter di streets of Freetown, Sierra Leone on Wednesday, to protest di growing economic crisis

Sierra Leoneans bin dey also rally against corruption and police brutality.

Many pipo dey demands for di resignation of President Julius Maada Bio.

Some protesters and policemen die on di third day of violent protests wey don happun for di capital, Freetown, as well as several oda towns.

Videos on social media wey tori pipo Reuters bin verify show large crowds of protesters and piles of burning tyres for parts of di capital, Freetown.

Other footage show one group of young men wey dey throw rocks for one street wey dey filled wit whitish smoke.

Di protesters bin block di main access into di country’s Lungi airport and clash with security agencies.

In addition to di three bodies wey dey mortuary, one Reuters tori pesin see anoda civilian body for one street for eastern Freetown.

Di police chief and toktok pesin no dey reachable for comment.

Goment extend nationwide curfew till further notice

Pipo running

Reuters

Di development make goment impose nationwide dusk to dawn curfew.

Di vice-president Mohamed Juldeh announce di nationwide curfew on Wednesday till Thursday morning for one short state broadcast- before dem come extend am indefinitely on Thursday morning.

“Dis unscrupulous individuals don embark on violent and unauthorised protest wey don lead to di loss of lives of innocent Sierra Leoneans, wey include security personnel,” Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh tok for im video address.

“Di goment hereby declare nationwide curfew,” e tok. “Di security sector don dey authorised to fully enforce dis directive.”

President Bio with im family no dey di kontri and don leave Vice-President in charge.

“As goment, we get di responsibility to protect every citizen of Sierra Leone. Wetin happen today wey unfortunate and go dey fully investigated,” President Julius Maada Bio tok on Twitter.

E say dem don authorise security forces to deal with lawbreakers, accusing di protesters of destroying and burning down public facilities.

Sierra Leone dey due to go to di polls next year to elect new president. Di protesters say dem no wan make President Bio seek re-election.

Ecowas condemn violence

Leaders of di West African regional bloc Ecowas don condemn di violence wey happun for various parts of Sierra Leone on Wednesday.

For one statement in Abuja, Ecowas call on all to obey law and order and di perpetrators of di violence to be identified and brought to justice.

Earlier on Wednesday, internet observatory NetBlocks say Sierra Leone dey face near-total internet shutdown during di protests, wit national connectivity at 5% of ordinary levels.

On Tuesday, di national security coordinator bin ask di armed forces to be prepared to back up di police from 9-12 August, warning of “potentially volatile security situation”, according to one internal letter wey dey shared widely online.

Normalcy dey return small-small to di capital

Security

BBC

Finding on Thursday morning show say some amount of normalcy don dey return around the capital, Freetown.

Tori pipo report movement of vehicles and humans plus some shops dey opened for west end of di capital city.

Di police and di military dey currently patrol di streets of Freetown.

Dos wey speak to di BBC say most pipo no gree comot home sake of fear of continuous attacks.

We still dey update dis tori