ECOWAS Fact-Finding Mission Blocked from Visiting Yenga by Guinea, Says ONS Spokesperson

The Director of Strategic Communications and Spokesperson at the Office of National Security (ONS), Abdul Karim Will, has provided new insight into the recent visit of an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) fact-finding delegation assessing the long-standing Yenga border dispute between Sierra Leone and Guinea.

In an interview with Liberty Online TV, Mr. Will revealed that the delegation’s efforts to visit the Yenga territory were blocked by Guinean authorities. “When the ECOWAS team came to Sierra Leone, they began engagements at the national level, consulting various stakeholders including the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Defense, before proceeding to Koindu,” he said.

He explained that the initial plan was for the delegation to visit locations where Sierra Leonean soldiers are deployed, including Begobengo, Sokoma, and North. However, while in the Yenga area, the delegation sought to take advantage of the opportunity to visit Yenga town itself.

Mr. Will disclosed that the Sierra Leonean brigade commander reached out to his Guinean counterpart in Nogowa to request permission for the ECOWAS team to access Yenga. While the Nogowa commander did not immediately deny the request, he indicated that approval would need to come from Conakry. Ultimately, the Guinean authorities insisted that the delegation should begin its visit from Conakry and move to areas under Guinean control, effectively preventing access to Yenga.