Alusine Foika Escapes Mob Justice

By Thaimu Thullah

Alusine Foika , a resident of 22 Peacock Farm, Wellington east of Freetown, narrowly escaped mob justice at the hands of angry youths, who descended on his home on the 10th of August Protest, after taking over the eastern part of Freetown.
Hundreds of thousands of youths stormed the eastern part of Freetown shouting the slogan “President Julius Maada Bio must go”. They were protesting against the rising cost of goods in the country and expressing frustration with bad governance, harassment, and political intimidation by the government. Government and private offices were unable to open for work, as business places were looted, ransacked, and destroyed. Police Stations were also not spared, as supplies of bags of rice, motorcycles, and others items were stolen by youths who were angrily protesting against the ruling SLPP-led government of President Julius Maada Bio.

The youths ensured that there were blockades on every main street or corner leading to the highway. Commercial and private vehicles were prevented from plying the streets, and if caught, drivers of those vehicles trying to bypass the blockages were at risk of being killed, irrespective of their gender. Alusine Foika, according to our source, who is a mende by tribe was targetted because of his surname. He is said to have left home that very morning to do a private job for one of his customers. On his way home, he met stiff resistance along Portee junction, where a police officer was beaten to death by angry youths. He attempted to rescue the stranded officer, denouncing the way and manner the iofficer was being treated, when he became a target. Some of the youths rushed at him and gave him slaps, but one of his friends, who was part of the angry protesters, managed to help him escape from the scene. After three days, Alusine Foika’s photo was among those declared wanted by the police. His whereabouts remained unknown as we go to press.
The government, in a press statement, described the protesters as ” terrorists”. Two days after the situation returned to calm, there was massive arrest of suspected protesters, with over five hundred people detained in different detention centers across the country.
Civil Society Organizations have expressed grave concern about the manner of the arrest. They claimed that the police were working with SLPP supporters identifying people who have nothing to do with the August 10 protest.
The August 10 protest was bloody, battle-tested, and is known to be very bad in the history of Sierra Leone.
Alusine Foike could not be reached for his comments. Times SL Newspaper also engaged some of his colleagues at Peacock Farm but they said APC supporters and the Sierra Leone Police are in desperate search of him. Alusine’s situation is like living between the devil and the deep blue sea. His safety has become a cause for concern for his family who are also in hiding away from mob justice.
Sierra Leone is presently tense with heavy military presence, checkpoints all over the city.
The US Embassy in Freetown has put out a message calling on all US Citizens to stay indoors as there are security threat all over the country. In a tweeted message from the embassy, it reads..” American citizens are advised to stay indoors and not to come out until situation return to normal. In an event of distress calls , American citizens are advised to call on a free toll line which is always on standby.
Other diplomatic missions have also send out similar messages calling on their citizens to remain calm in their different locations.