According to report from eastern Freetown, one Abubakar MakalayKamara, residing at 34, Bassa Town, Lumpa, Waterloo, WesternRural District, member of the Bassa Town Traders Union and apopular youth leader of the main opposition party (APC), narrowlyescaped death at the hands of ruling party operatives in the companyof armed security forces.
Sources say that Abubakar Makalay Kamara is a well-knownactivist of the Trade Union and the APC, and his quest for equaltreatment and justice against the illegal acts of the government,landed him in trouble with the security forces. It was disclosed thathe was among those arrested over the protest of August 10, 2022, ashe was seen in the crowd calling for justice against the government’sillegal acts, such as extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions ofmembers of the APC, and also calling for the address of theprevailing unbearable cost of living on the ordinary citizens.
Abubakar Makalay Kamara,was accused of being among the ringleaders of that protest through his alleged involvement inpopularizing the call for the August 10th protest that resulted in thedeaths of over 30 civilians and 6 police officers, burning down ofthe Bassa Town Police Station and destruction of governmentproperty, and the arrest of over 65 members of the opposition party(APC), across the country.
who went on a house to house search for suspected membersof the opposition party believe to be part of the protest in the BassaTown community.
According to family sources, Abubakar’s affiliation with the mainopposition party and his outspokenness against the prevailingeconomic conditions, is his crime. It was disclosed that on severaloccasions security forces had raided his house. They also confirmedthat after his escape from detention, Abubakar had intimated themthat he had been tortured and given no access to justice, andtherefore needed serious medical attention, but under the currentregular raids on the community, he was not safe, and had to flee,after his cover was blown by youths paid for information leading tohis arrest, intimated the police of his secret hideout.
However, concerns among party hierarchy and human rightsactivists were that after the August 10th incident, the governmenthas been clamping down on critical voices, as well as targetingknown opposition members, arresting and detaining them ontrumped up charges.
Even After his escape, family members say that they had comeunder regular harassment from ruling party youths and securityforces, who have turned raiding of their home, a routine, backed bydeath threats.
According to police sources, Abubakar Makalay Kamara is beingsought after on allegations of mobilizing youths against thegovernment and being a middle man between dissidents and theyouths. They declared that he is wanted in connection with his rolein the violent protests that have taken place, and described him asdangerous.
However, as we go to press the whereabouts of Abubakar MakalayKamara are still unknown.
