At a press briefing on Tuesday at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown, Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu confirmed that no Fullah citizens have been arrested or detained in Sierra Leone. He clarified that arrests made by security forces involved foreign nationals from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, China, and Zimbabwe, who were involved in criminal activities.
Prominent journalist Umaru Fofanah, recently returned from Guinea, explained that misinformation circulating in Sierra Leone had led to confusion, emphasizing that the reports did not reflect the true situation. A brief exchange between Fofanah and Fayia Sellu followed, but the Inspector General firmly reaffirmed that no Fullah individuals had been detained.
Fayia Sellu further explained that individuals deported from Guinea were returned with the assistance of Guinean authorities, not arrested. Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Kabbah assured the Fullah community that diplomatic efforts between Sierra Leone and Guinea would resolve any concerns, noting the strong relationship between the two countries.
Local stakeholder Chernor Bah reassured the Fullah community, emphasizing that no orders had been issued to arrest Fullah citizens. Abdulai Caulker, Coordinator of the Office of National Security, confirmed that security personnel are deployed in sensitive areas but assured there was no specific threat to the Fullah community.
The briefing concluded with a commitment to maintaining accurate communication and continued collaboration between Sierra Leone and Guinea.
