Roadblocks and checkpoints mounted across Sierra Leone under the facade of robots security operations when there are actually security lapses caused by compromise as it was on 26 November 2023 are uncalled for.
That checkpoint are everywhere as if we are still in the war era security personnel should be seen performing their lawful duties, instead of compromising the mandates of their job in favour of extortions.
With such roadblock there are all expectations that checks must be the paramount purpose for mounting checkpoints not for intimidations of armless civilians.
Checkpoints by their mere presence restrict the free movements of people from one point to the other, forgetting the facts that the odd periods of the eleven years bloody civil war, instability and gross human rights violations are no more. Then it uncalled-for to be always reminding vulnerable peaceful citizens of instability with the presence of heavily armed security guards, always deployed at roadblocks called checkpoints.
Defenceless civilians risking their lives and safety amid armed security details is unacceptable, except if state actors want to tell the public and the world over that there is something that needs to be worried about, but for all we know and can certainly continue to assure all and sundry is that Sierra Leone is stable and peaceful. And there is no cause for alarm, not talk of mounting checkpoints. They are unjustified for the simple reason that the guns have been silent long ago and Sierra Leone can no longer revert to the ugly days of the eleven years senseless armed conflict. Therefore positioning checkpoints everywhere along public highways in Freetown to and other major cities, to the last the feeder roads leading to the villages is scary. Checkpoints appear very much counterproductive to the hard earned peace and stability of this nation.
Heavily armed security guard checkpoints have contributed factors undermining the peace and stability of the country, especially with all the restriction yet the spread of the Kush plague. Checkpoints are also responsible for the high cost of living due the extortions that are perpetuated by checkpoints guards.
Why checkpoints? What are all the checkpoints mounted for? Are the checkpoints blind or deaf to the scourge of Kush? Some top security commanders in the persons of the Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police and the Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces RSLAF, Peter K. Lavahun need to provide the public with the appropriate answers to the aforementioned questions and concerns, to restore some public confidence and trust. As a country aspiring to woe in direct foreign investments, government must demilitarized the roads, business and create a friendly atmosphere to encourage trade, commerce and direct foreign investments to enhance rapid economic growth as government alone can hardly do it all by themselves. Certainly no investor/investment wants unnecessary security disturbances especially with glaring brandishes of fire arms everywhere.
Heavily armed security personnel deployed at checkpoints across the country are at those locations for the execution of their lawful duties which they are being paid for from the Consolidated Revenue Fund therefore they must be seen doing the right things, rather than engaging on extortions of moneys from road users and passengers. Amidst that marriage of convenience with clear understandings of receiving moneys and allow vehicles and passengers pass unchecked. That is a corrupt practice that needs to be curtailed by the Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone. Extortions of moneys from people at checkpoints have become a normal business scheme for and among state security personnel.
Records have it that security personnel of the SLP and those of the RSLAF are always ‘begging’ and ‘bribing’ their commandants to get them deployed at lucrative checkpoints at Mile 38, Gendema, Gbalamuya, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, the Freetown International Airport and other border crossing points in the country. All in furtherance to be continuously conniving with smugglers and traffickers of counter ban goods, illegal trades as well as other unlawful activities with huge tendencies of also undermining national security, as well as trade and investments by extension through the uses of their offices as state security personnel. Corrupt practices with propensities of escalating prices of essential commodities including food stuffs should have no place in society. Considering the high level of extortion of moneys from drivers by security personnel deployed at checkpoints which is the cause of price hikes.
Moreover, traders plying routes to and from Freetown are always asked to pay certain amounts of money at checkpoints through drivers depending on the goods a particular passenger travels with. These form part of factors militating against the growth and development of internal trade and direct foreign investments in Sierra Leone.
Dismantle checkpoints and withdraw armed security personnel who are only on the roads to collect moneys from road users, can go a long way in restoring investors’ confidence in the situation.
Security personnel resorting to ‘begging’ and extortion of cash from people are corrupt practices for which the ACC Sierra Leone has received dozens of complaints as recently reported by the ACC North-West Public Education Unit. Nonetheless all what the ACC always do in addressing the problem of security personnel extorting moneys from road users are mere presentation of statements under the guise of public education.
Calling things by their right names, security personnel deployed at checkpoints should be executing their duties in accordance with the last of the country and avoid the collections of moneys from people and drivers at checkpoints, which the ACC should be proactive in handling with ethical considerations. Also checkpoints should be removed from the roads and restore confidence in the people with clear understanding that the country is not at war and there should be no need for roadblocks.
