Coup plot: Sierra Leone arrests top military officers
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The government of Sierra Leone has taken into custody top military officers following credible intelligence that they were plotting to undermine the nation’s democracy.
Their arrest was effected by the police authorities in Sierra Leone. According to the police, the military officers are already helping the police in their investigations.
“In that regard, several arrests have been made and the suspects are assisting the police with the investigations,” says a statement released on Monday by the police headquarters in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The suspects were taken into custody to prevent President Julius Maada Bio’s democratically elected government from being toppled, as it happened last week in the Republic of Niger when President Mohamed Bazoum was removed by the junta.
“The suspects had intended to cause disruption across the country under the pretexts of upcoming protests
“Preliminary investigations have revealed that these individuals planned to use purported peaceful protests between 7th to 10th August 2023, as a guise to unleash violent attacks against state institutions and peaceful citizens,” the statement reads.
“Despite continued efforts to consolidate our hard won peace and democratic gains, there are individuals at home and abroad that continue to undertake actions meant to derail the peace and tranquility of the country,” the Sierra Leonean police asserted but assured the nation’s security sector had the situation under control.
