By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah has said Wednesday would be a day of usual business, noting that those who have planned to engage in any "illegal" activity on the said day would face the "fullest force" of the law.
Bah made this statement in the weekly Government Press Conference on Tuesday 16th of January this year hosted at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, in which he dispelled a rumoured protest for Wednesday, a day a court martial trial is expected to continue.
"We want to encourage people to go about their normal businesses. Schools will be in operation, “Bah said, noting that the security forces are alert and that they would make sure that the ordinary citizens are protected.
He said no set of people have come forward to the police for a clearance letter for protest. "We are in a democratic state. If someone wants to protest they should do so by applying to the Sierra Leone Police to provide security," he emphasised.
Responding to questions from the media, Bah said the presence of security in the city is to assure the people that they are safe as they go about their business.
He said in the past, they had ‘fake’ threats to undermine peace which the security sector ignored only for unidentified people to go on to commit unspeakable crimes that affected ordinary peace-loving citizens. He added that the security would no longer take any security issue lightly.
The Minister commended the Chairman of the main opposition All Peoples Congress, Minkailu Mansaray, for disassociating their party from all rumours making rounds on social media about a planned protest, confirming that neither the APC nor any political party called for a protest. Bah said anyone who chose to undermine the peace of the country, the security forces would not take it lightly with them.
The responsibility of the President and the state apparatus is to protect lives and property, he said, saying they would not allow anyone to disrupt the peace and security of the country.
In a related move, National Security Coordinator (NSCoord) Abdulai Caulker in a statement said the security forces will not tolerate any attempt to disrupt Sierra Leone’s hard-earned peace after the 11-year civil war.
He said his office views with concern the habitual posting of fake damaging stories on social media by certain individuals that discourage potential foreign investors, and at the same time, fomenting discord amongst the populace.
Caulker asserted the resolve of ONS and the capability and mechanisms of the security forces to detect and prevent any threat to stability in any part of the country. He appealed to citizens to be united in safeguarding the country’s peace.
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