IGP Fayia Sellu Leads Festive Gift Distribution at Cotton Tree

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. William Fayia Sellu, on Tuesday visited the historic Cotton Tree in Freetown, where he distributed Christmas and New Year gift bags to members of the public as part of the Sierra Leone Police’s festive season outreach.

The gift bags, which contained a mug, a pen, and a fan, also carried cautionary messages outlining key public safety and traffic regulations to be observed during the holiday period.

According to the messages printed on the gift items, members of the public are reminded that loud music or noise after 10:00 p.m. is prohibited under Section 13 of the Public Order Act of 1965. Street processions or carnivals are also not permitted without written approval from the Inspector General of Police, in line with Section 17 of the same Act.

The cautionary notices further prohibit the firing of guns, rockets, or the throwing of fireworks, citing Section 6 of the Public Order Act, 1965, and clearly state that fireworks are banned throughout Sierra Leone.

In addition, motorists were reminded that driving under the influence of alcohol is an offence under Section 102 of the Road Traffic Act, 2007, while the use of unregistered vehicles is prohibited under Section 5 of the same Act. Vehicles bearing G-plates or Temporary Vehicle Registration (TVR) numbers are not allowed to ply the roads after 6:00 p.m., and all vehicles must be used strictly for their registered purposes.

The notices also highlighted that commercial motorcycle (“okada”) operations remain prohibited within the Central Business District of Freetown. Mask devils and masquerades, as well as religious bodies and organisations planning street processions, are required to obtain written police clearance before proceeding.

The Sierra Leone Police warned that all these regulations will be strictly enforced throughout the festive period to ensure public safety, law and order.

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To ease congestion during the holidays, designated parking spaces will be provided at the Lumley and Aberdeen beaches for beachgoers. Towing vehicles will also be deployed to enforce parking regulations and remove improperly parked vehicles.

The Inspector General of Police, together with the Sierra Leone Police, extended Christmas and New Year greetings to the general public, wishing citizens a Merry Christmas and a bright and prosperous New Year in 2026.