Citizens in Sierra Leone have been “strongly advised” to remain indoors as the government enforced a nationwide curfew with immediate effect.
The government order was issued in the early hours of Sunday, after unidentified armed men launched an attack on military barracks in the Wilberforce neighbourhood in the capital city of the Western African nation, Freetown.
The shootout at the barracks, located a minutes-drive away from the official home of President Julius Maada Bio, was heard by residents in the area, some of whom took to X, formerly Twitter.
One social media user called Mohamed Wurie Bah wrote on X: “Heard gunshots. What’s going on???”
Another X user, with the nickname Princess F Samura, replied: “We live around the Wilberforce area, it’s like the gunshots are in our backyard. It’s really scary.”
After the incursion at the barracks, a group of gunmen also set a number of inmates free from the prison in Pademba Road, an official at the facility told the BBC.
The curfew order was shared by the Information and Civic Education Minister, Chernor Bah.
Providing some information on the incident at the barracks, it read: “In the early hours of Sunday November 26 2023, some unidentified individuals attempted to break into the military armoury at the Wilberforce barracks. They have all been rebuffed.
“The public is assured that the government and our state security forces are in control.
“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.”
President Bio tried to calm down the nation and informed a manhunt was underway to catch the gunmen.
Sierra Leone’s leader was re-elected in June with 56 percent of the votes – albeit the results published by the electoral commission were flagged by European elections observers for “statistical inconsistencies”.
Two months later, a number of soldiers were accused of plotting a coup and arrested.
Bio was first elected fifth president of the West African nation in April 2018.
