Yenga Chief Accuses Guinean Soldiers of Aggressive Behaviors

In an extensive interview with Alie Kabba, he recounted that the chief of  Yenga Community narrated the troubling experiences faced by residents due to the aggressive actions of Guinean soldiers. The chief described how the soldiers’ hostility compelled him to advise his community to abandon their belongings and seek refuge in Koindu.

“The Guinean soldiers were aggressive, threatening our safety. As a leader, I had no choice but to instruct my people to leave everything behind and find safety here in Koindu,” Kabba explained.

During his visit to the heart of Yenga, Kabba engaged directly with displaced residents, assessing the tense situation exacerbated by the Guinean military’s actions. His visit was part of a series of engagements by various leaders in Sierra Leone since the onset of the conflict regarding the Yenga territory.

While meeting with stakeholders in Koindu, residents expressed their gratitude to President Julius Maada Bio for the provision of food aid. However, they emphasized their profound desire to return to their homeland. “We sleep on bare floors here, and our water well is open and unsafe. There is no way to live,” one resident lamented, asserting, “Yenga is our home, and we want to go back.”

Moved by their plight, Kabba took immediate action to enhance their living conditions. He arranged for safer, more dignified temporary housing for the displaced families, allocated land for farming, and provided financial assistance to alleviate their hardships. “No Sierra Leonean should live in fear or deprivation. Until Yenga is fully restored to its rightful owners, we must ensure our people are cared for,” Kabba stated.

Refusing to rely solely on secondhand accounts, Kabba traveled directly to the Yenga area to witness the situation firsthand. His presence in the occupied territory conveyed a powerful message: Sierra Leone will not relent in its efforts to reclaim what is rightfully ours. Reports of Guinean military occupation and intimidation only strengthened.

Kabbas’s recent visit highlights the pressing necessity for diplomatic and political efforts to address the Yenga crisis. This territory rightfully belongs to Sierra Leone, and its citizens deserve to live in peace and security. Kabbas emphasized our commitment to amplifying their voices at every level until justice is achieved.

As the displaced residents of Yenga cling to hope, Kabbas’s intervention serves as a poignant reminder that their struggle remains in our collective consciousness. The fight for their rightful return home will persist until Yenga is unconditionally reclaimed by Sierra Leone.