“To enable the security forces to continue the process of apprehending the suspects, a nationwide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country. We strongly advise citizens to stay indoors,” a public notice from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education has said.
This follows reports of persistent gunfire in and around a military barracks in the capital Freetown in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Reasons for the gunshots are still unclear, but the public notice says, “in the early hours of Sunday November 26th, 2023, some unidentified individuals attempted to break into the military armory at Wilberforce barracks.”
“They have all been rebuffed,” it adds, noting: “The public is assured that the government and our state security forces are in control.”
There’s no clear number of arrests made so far. No death reports yet. President Julius Maada Bio and his family are said to be safe and sound.
The Ministry has therefore advised citizens to corporate with government and follow the official Ministry of Information and Civic Education channels and their official handles for accurate information and updates on the situation.
