The Sierra Leone Police have explained the reason for firing tear gas canisters and barricading the headquarters of the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC).

“Their party (APC) members had to block the Hannah Benka Coker Street and Old Railway Line and started harassing passers-by, especially those in green outfits, who were perceived to be members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP),” the police said.

They added that the main opposition party members were seen “in a long convoy, parading the streets of Freetown”.

The police said the APC party said was announcing that they have won Saturday Presidential polls.

They said that the announcement by the APC attracted large crowds of their supporters at the party headquarters.

The police said that they tried to contact the leadership of the party but did not respond.

“As the situation became unbearable, the police had to fire teargas canisters so as to disperse the crowd which was harassing people on the road,” they said.

The leadership of the APC accused the police of attacking them at their Brookfields office in Freetown.

The party reported that live rounds and teargas were fired at them.

Late on Sunday, there was a report of one dead female member of the party.