Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, assured that his government would address the recent coup attempt with a deliberate approach based on “respect for the law.” Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that the response to the November 26 events would be treated as a matter of public order, devoid of political, tribal, or religious considerations.
President Maada Bio underscored, “Our response to the events of November 26 will be measured, guided solely by one factor: respect for the law, nothing more, nothing less.”
Armed individuals attacked military facilities, including an arms depot, barracks, prisons, and police stations on the morning of November 26, resulting in 21 casualties, including 14 soldiers. Thirteen military personnel and one civilian suspected of involvement in the attempted coup have been detained.
President Bio, re-elected for a second term in June this year, stressed that the handling of the situation would adhere strictly to legal norms, emphasizing, “All culpable parties… will be held accountable within the bounds of the law.” He characterized the events as a “clearly planned and coordinated attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government through violent and unlawful means, seeking to overturn constitutional order and disrupt years of our investments in peace and democracy.”
The President’s remarks come in the context of heightened political tension, with Sierra Leone facing economic challenges as one of the world’s poorest nations. The country experienced months of political crisis resolved in October through an agreement between the government and the “All People’s Congress” party, facilitated by the Commonwealth, African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).