Office of National Security engages stakeholders after an uneasy calm prevailed between Sierra Leone People’s Party and All People’s Congress supporters ahead of the June 2023 elections.

Claims and counter claims alleged that the violence emanated from the destruction of candidates’ posters belonging to both parties.

According to a release on 28th May 2023 at ONS Hq. Tower Hill, the National Security Coordinator, Office of National Security, Mr. Abdulai Caulker summoned a stakeholders’ meeting in Mile 91 Town. The purpose of the meeting was to enhance and preach peace between the two parties as well as to state the security sector’s position regarding electoral violence.

The NS Coordinator said, ‘the destruction of campaign materials is a recipe for electoral violence and that the practice has no place in any decent society. Such attitude undermines peace, security and development and must therefore be discouraged’. He continued that all Paramount Chiefs have a critical role in fostering national cohesion, and as custodians of the land, they are beacons of hope and peace of their people, and must therefore remain neutral.

He described incidents of poster destruction in Mile 91 and other parts of the country as very unfortunate. He said, ‘everyone should remain law abiding and not to resort to taking the law into their hands, since there are statutory provisions for grievance redress which all well-meaning citizens should utilize’. He admonished and emphasized that since the destruction of posters was violence in itself, it should be a thing of the past that must never be repeated. He said that the purpose of the meeting was not to investigate the past, rather, it was meant to put mechanisms in place in order to avert a recurrence of the ugly incident and ensure non-violence in the upcoming June 24 general elections.

Both the AIG North-East, and CO 4 Infantry Battalion buttressed the message of the NS Coordinator.

Bai Shebora Entelli III, the PC of Yoni Chiefdom, who promised to summon a more inclusive and expanded stakeholders meeting said, ‘his subjects should put the past behind them and work as a family’.

The former Member of Parliament, who is also the current APC aspirant for MP, Hon. Aaron Koroma and the SLPP MP aspirant, Ing. Kanu, said, ‘it was disgraceful for non-members of Tonkolili to broker peace between them as they are a family and should be able to resolve their differences when things go wrong. All stakeholders pledged their commitment to upholding the peace, before, during and after the upcoming general elections.

The meeting was appreciated by all and climaxed by friendly handshakes and hugs.

In attendance were supporters of the SLPP and APC and other principal stakeholders of Mile 91.