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Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has engaged with a group of Sierra Leoneans who were recently displaced from Guinea and escorted to the Pamelap border by Guinean authorities.
The Vice President visited the border town to assess the situation and reassure those affected of the government’s commitment to their safety and welfare.
Speaking to the displaced individuals, Dr. Jalloh expressed the government’s deep dissatisfaction with the circumstances that led to their displacement.
He emphasized that mechanisms have been put in place to address their immediate needs, including transportation and welfare support, while ensuring their security and smooth reintegration into their respective communities.
Before meeting the affected individuals, the Vice President held a closed-door meeting with security officials managing the border situation.
The meeting focused on strategies to handle the influx of people and ensure the protection of Sierra Leonean nationals during this period of crisis.
The displacement followed a series of security raids in Conakry, targeting densely populated areas. Over 300 young Sierra Leoneans were among those affected, though reports from the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea confirmed that none were arrested or imprisoned during the raids. Instead, they were peacefully escorted to the border and handed over to Sierra Leonean authorities.
A dedicated team at the border has been set up to offer welfare assistance, including food, shelter, and transportation. However, some of the displaced individuals have expressed a desire to return to Conakry despite the challenges.
Interestingly, a verification exercise conducted by the authorities at Pamelap revealed that some of the people escorted to the border are not Sierra Leonean nationals, raising questions about the overall management of the raids by Guinean authorities.
The government has pledged to continue monitoring the situation closely while addressing the immediate and long-term needs of those affected.
