The Sierra Leone Police has intensified its hunt for Mohamed Bailor Bah, a member of the main opposition All Peoples Congress party and also an activist who has been critical of the government.
Born on 18th August 1996 in Sierra Leone’s Eastern region capital of Kenema during the country’s civil war, Mohamed grew up witnessing the suffering people undergo to make a living with less than a dollar a day.
Mohamed who holds a high school certificate was formerly employed as a Sales Agent at Jamac Clearing and Forwarding Ltd with responsibilities to identify potential clients and target markets for the services offered by the company but he served for only a short spell.
Once he started his advocacy on human rights and became the voice of the voiceless in society, Mohamed Bailor Bah would stop at nothing in telling truth to power , but Mohamed’s woes began when he joined one of the country’s main political parties, the former ruling party which now is the opposition; All Peoples Congress (APC) in 2016.
This press discovered that he joined the APC because it is a political party that has shown not only concern for the downtrodden but one that prioritizes the well being of all without regards to political affiliation.
As a result of his activism and love for mankind, the high school dropout became a household name as he always tells his audience when he had the opportunity that Sierra Leone is a country with vibrant and promising youth population.
Mohamed’s involvement in activism especially as a political activist was a bittersweet experience for him, on the one hand he felt empowered through his advocacy skills whilst on the other he became a target of the government and things got worse for him when he started making headlines with threats directed both at him and his family members.
Some of his close friends and relatives would caution him but because of his passion for advocacy he defied all odds into carrying on with his advocacy and was able to attract a large audience.
As soon as the political leadership changed in 2018 with the present government, dissenting voices were silenced and fear gripped the society, including Mohamed Bailor Bah as the new regime does not tolerate dissenting views and Mohamed became a prime target.
However, as time went by, the country started losing most of its past glories due to political instability, exacerbated by a 11- year -civil war that destroyed not only the lives of many promising youth but also their future leaving many to seek for greener pastures.
On August 1st 2022, Mohamed along with some party members were at the APC Headquarters planning to identify routes for a peaceful protest when security forces including the Kamajor Militia of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party government descended on them and started firing teargas canisters. It was also confirmed that in the process, live bullets were used by the Police that led to the killing of some protesters and by standers.
Mohamed along with some of his colleagues were singled out and arrested and taken to the Adelaide Street police station for what the police say undermining the peace and for riotous conduct where they were tortured and detained for six days. After being released Mohamed left for neighboring Guinea
According to close neighbors, Mohamed was outspoken and took an uncompromising stance to condemn the political atmosphere created by the two main political parties; the ruling Sierra Leones Peoples Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) which resulted to the killings of opponents and burning of houses in almost every part of the country despite the fact that he was a party card carrying member of the APC.
A close friend of Mohamed who preferred to remain anonymous intimidated this press that as a result of his stance, supporters of these two political parties took turns to hunt him at his former residence in Freetown throwing wild threats to lynch him anytime they set eyes on him.
This press gathered that as a result of such threats Mohamed decided to go into solitary confinement or hiding ‘‘we could only reach him on phone when he told us that he is trying to leave Sierra Leone’’ .
On 7th June 2023, a day to the country’s general elections Mohamed and his friend were heading to the APC Office on Railway line when they were ambushed and ordered to disembark from their vehicle where they were stripped off of all their belongings and given serious beating and taken to an unknown location where they were tortured but Mohamed managed to escape on 17th June whilst other escapees were still rearrested.
When Mohamed went home emaciated, he could hardly be recognized by his family members after the torture he underwent in the hands of SLPP thugs and since then he had no option but to flee for his life.
Mohamed spoke to this press through telephone from an undisclosed location insisting he has done no wrong to condemn the political status quo in his country but supporters of the two major political parties and pro government forces have seen his uncompromising stance as a threat.
“Different persons have called me on phone on several occasions threatening to kill me, if I continue my condemnation of the political system ‘’ he complained
‘’I am afraid to stay in my country of birth, I am now in hiding, planning to find a safe environment ‘’ he continued.
Mohamed’s ordeal is a testament to several others who have fled the country as a result of political intimidation wherein several others were either locked up in jails or standing trial.
It could be recalled that the post multitier elections of June 24 2023 was marred by violence mainly between the two dominant parties that were in constant counter attacks.
The social media was occupied with condemnations of such violence activities perpetrated by the two main political parties, to an extent that some opposition members were arrested and detained and as we go to press, some opposition members are before the Court for crimes the Judiciary described as social media disorder
Meanwhile, Sierra Leoneans remain in constant fear after the August 10 , 2022 demonstration when the ruling party described the demonstrators as ‘terrorists’ and embarked on arrests declaring opposition members as suspects behind the demonstration.
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