ONS Abdul Karim Will Clarifies Why Guinea Blocked Sierra Leone Access to Yenga

Guinea has denied access to the ECOWAS mission team and Sierra Leone representatives seeking to visit Yenga, sparking concerns over transparency and security.

Abdul Karim Will, Director of Communications at Sierra Leone’s Office of National Security (ONS), explained to 98.1 FM that the delegation was halted at the Yenga crossing point by Guinean soldiers who claimed they had received no official communication about the visit.

In August 2025, ECOWAS launched a fact-finding mission to assess the ongoing Yenga dispute, aiming to visit nearby communities. Sierra Leonean officials coordinated with their Guinean counterparts, but upon arrival, the Guinean troops prevented the delegation from proceeding, stating they lacked the necessary authorization.

The team was forced to turn back at Pegobegu, a village under Sierra Leone’s control.
Will highlighted that Guinea’s refusal was based on security protocols and the absence of formal introductions from Conakry, which prevented the mission from gaining access to Yenga. The incident underscores tensions and unresolved issues surrounding the Yenga area.