Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio declared a nationwide curfew Sunday after gunmen attacked the military’s main and largest barracks in the West African nation’s capital, raising fears of a breakdown of order amid a surge of coups in the region.
The unidentified gunmen attacked the military armory within the Wilberforce barracks in the capital, Freetown, early morning, Bio said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding that they were driven back by security forces and “calm has been restored.”
“As the combined team of our Security Forces continue to root out the remnant of the fleeing renegades, a nationwide curfew has been declared and citizens are encouraged to stay indoors,” he wrote.
The country’s Ministry of Information and Education also said in a statement the government and security forces are “in control” of the situation, trying to dismiss fears of a possible escalation of violence in the country whose population of eight million people is among the poorest in the world, having some of the lowest scores on the United Nations Human Development Index.
The government said those attempting to break into the armory had been repelled. Witnesses told AFP they heard gunshots and explosions in the city’s Wilberforce district.
“To enable the security forces to continue the process of apprehending the suspects, a nationwide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country,” the ministry said.
No further details were given on the alleged perpetrators of the attack, or their motives.
Sierra Leone, an English-speaking country in West Africa, has been going through a political crisis following presidential and general elections in June this year.
An Associated Press journalist in the capital said gunshots were still being heard in the city hours after the government assured the situation was under control, although it was not clear who was behind the fire exchange, nor if any arrests were made.
No details have been immediately given about the gunmen or the reason for the attack which comes months after Bio was reelected for a second term in a disputed vote in which the main opposition party accused the electoral commission of rigging the results.
Airlines urged to reschedule flights
Sierra Leone’s civil aviation authority on Sunday urged airlines reschedule flights after a nationwide curfew imposed by the government in response to an attack on a military barracks by unidentified gunmen.
The aviation authority said in a statement that passengers should be placed on the next available flights after the curfew is lifted. It added that the country’s airspace remains open.
