“Liars of This Lying Government”: Sylvia Blyden Blasts Information Ministry Over Yenga Statement

In a strongly worded public broadcast released Monday morning, renowned journalist and politician Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden launched a scathing critique of the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MICE), accusing it of spreading misinformation about the long-standing Yenga border dispute.

Describing the Ministry’s recent public statement on Yenga as “a shameless lie,” Dr. Blyden denounced the government’s claim that Sierra Leonean citizens who had fled the area could safely return because the Sierra Leone Army (RSLAF) is now stationed there to protect them from Guinean forces.

“That’s a shameless LIE from a government that lacks self-respect, as displayed by their official spokespersons,” Blyden declared in her 47-minute audio broadcast. She directly accused MICE of misleading the public, stating, “According to the LIARS of this LYING GOVERNMENT, the Sierra Leone Army is inside Yenga now and will be able to secure them from Guinean soldiers.”

The seasoned political figure issued what she termed a “strict warning” to the Ministry, demanding an immediate retraction of the statement. She argued that the situation in Yenga remains unresolved and cautioned that premature assurances could endanger the safety of displaced citizens.

Dr. Blyden also used the broadcast to deliver a comprehensive historical overview of the Yenga dispute, tracing developments from 1994 to the present. She encouraged Sierra Leoneans to listen to the full recording to better understand the significance of the contested territory.

The Yenga issue has remained a sensitive and unresolved territorial matter between Sierra Leone and Guinea, often resurfacing in public discourse as a measure of diplomatic strength and national sovereignty.