On Wednesday 6th May 2020, hundreds of angry fishermen and youths from the fishing town of Tombo went on the rampage setting the Family Support Unit (FSU) of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and community hospital on fire. The main police station was vandalized. Sporadic and sustained gunfire erupted after a gang of youths attacked security personnel and government property. “We cannot confirm the death toll nor the number of those arrested, at the moment.
Officer in Charge of Crime at the Tombo Police station Superintendent Kamara confirmed that the incident happened in the morning. “Some guys came from the wharf and attacked the station. He further stated that due to the COVID 19 situiation, the police called on the fishermen that only ten boats should go out to fish. This made some of them aggrieved and decided to go on a rampage,”
According to investigation carried out by this medium indicate that Abdul Salam AbuBakarr is the ring leader of the demonstration has been declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police. A hug sum of money has been placed by the Police for anyone can give out information for the arrest Abdul Salam AbuBakarr.
This medium spoken to an old man who identified himself as father of the wanted Abdul Salam AbuBakarr, he said since the incident happen the entire family has become worried about the where about of their son who happens to be the bread winner of the family. The family is now finding it very difficult to survived, especially the mum who worried has turned her to be a sickly person because she doesn’t know whether he is alive or dead.
Two different corpse has been identify by a member of the family which happen not to be the body of Abdul Salam.
A young woman from Mama Beach was shot in the forearm and later died. The brother, who came to identify the body, said the deceased was Maheteh and a mother of three. “She came to do shopping after the lockdown and was not part of the rioters,” he lamented. Another youth displayed a bullet wound on his back. He alleged that an OSD and soldiers came to their house and shot them.
The streets of Tombo was littered with rocks, tear gas canisters and shattered glass. Smoke from burning tires rose to the sky as frightened residents scrambled for cover or stayed indoors. The streets were empty as a curfew order was in force to avoid gathering. Meanwhile, members of the Sierra Leone Police, (SLP) Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the Operational Support Division (OSD) are patrolling the streets of Tombo.
Source reached this Medium that due to the way the demonstration was going on, OSD personnel from Headquarters at Freetown were sent to the Tombo but unfortunately they were involved in an accident and one died.
The Chairperson of the District Youth Council, Marie Bangura, strongly condemned the act of violence. “This kind of destruction is alarming. Only ten boats at a time were allowed to go out to sea. This was to minimize the clustering of people to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. If all the 88 boats are allowed to go out to sea at once it will cause overcrowding.” She added there were rumblings and a tense environment indicating a riot might happen. Bangura said five people were injured and two corpses were recovered and taken to the mortuary. The Shebro Tribal Chief for Western Area, Michael J. Mbemba, blamed an audio recording from a social media commentator, “Adebayo” as an instigating factor. “Adebayo said the war should start in Tombo. I went to the radio station 96.0 and told the community to stop broadcasting that message. Today, when the riot broke out, I ran for my life until the soldiers came and rescued me,” he revealed. Victor S.O.B. Davies, the Coordinator for Western Rural Area COVID-19 response said Tombo is the most troublesome community when it comes to enforcing the restriction measures. “I came here once and was very displeased at the way and manner the people were not abiding by the restrictive measures,” he said. So, I told them that the number of people going out to sea should be reduced. It was done with the knowledge of the security personnel. When the rules were implemented today, I think, that is what sparked this mayhem,” he added. Western Rural District Council Chair, Kasho J. Holland-Cole, said if the fishers had received any instruction concerning their boats they should be able to complain to their appropriate authorities. “Nobody informed us (of the fisher’s grievances) and we are not aware, so if they go on the rampage and attack police and the military, we say that act of lawlessness is condemned by us.” He said, “It is actually frustrating and disappointing. Tombo is the only village during this lockdown that we visited twice and told to be law abiding and listen to what the government and health people say.”
