September 11th Freetown Protests ….
Terror Unleashed at Thunder Hill, East of Freetown
The outcome of the September 11th 2023 protests in Freetown and parts of the country may have been less severe than the 2022 August 10th Protests that saw both civilians and security personnel losing their lives. It however left a trail of terror that would not be forgotten too soon.
Albert Kargbo, a resident of Thunder Hill in the eastend of Freetown was among the nearly half dozen victims butchered in cold blood by men clad in green or brown military camouflage. “They looked like members of the Presidential Guard….there was a civilian among them who appears to be helping them identify homes of strong APC supporters as well as people believed to be behind the protests…” said 34 year old Amadu Sesay ( not his real name), a resident of the area who earns a living by selling se and hand shoes.
According to two eyewitness (who preferred to remain anonymous), Albert, a renowned political activist was at the receiving end of three gun shots to his head. He died instantly as his other members of his family members who saw what was happening immediately flee for their lives, using a back door route.
The eye witness said Albert and his family appeared to have been the target of around 6 gunmen who came out of a black unliscend van. The 45 year old met his untimely death as he came out to meet his assailants in an effort to assure them that his neighbourhood was safe.
“I was looking through my window and I saw Albert lying in a pool of blood, kicking his feet as he died…one of the soldiers ran towards the house, shooting indiscriminately and demanding that the diseased wife and children come out or they will burn down the house..”
We later learnt that Albert’s wife, Lilian ……..a state registered nurse was not home when her poor husband was killed. Apparently, she had been transferred to work in a remote village upcountry. Our sources said she was later contacted and by other family members and neighbors who advised her to leave her place of work immediately and sought safety outside Sierra Leone.
Anothther group of soldiers also reportedly took away the remains of the murdered politician and have not returned them to the family for a befitting burial.
In August 2022, over 20 civilians as well as 6 police officers were reportedly killed in Freetown during a protest over living conditions. The government also refused to hand over the bodies of the victims despite several please from their families.