The National Security Coordinator (NSCoord) in the Office of National Security (ONS), Abdulai Caulker, has stressed the urgent need for a Mano River Union (MRU) summit to address the Yenga issue decisively, warning that protracted delays could have regional implications.
Mr Abdulai Caulker reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s resolve to safeguard its territorial integrity, stating unequivocally that the nation’s preference for diplomacy should not be mistaken for weakness. “We are pursuing peace, but Sierra Leone remains a sovereign state with every right to self-defense,” he declared.
The NSCoord acknowledged the increasing frustration of displaced residents, especially the youth, who are suffering from halted commercial activities and rising unemployment due to the closure of cross-border trade routes.
He was speaking at a high-level diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions between Sierra Leone and the Republic of Guinea over the long-disputed border town of Yenga.
That visit came in response to recent alarming developments, including persistent reports of harassment and intimidation by members of the Guinean Armed Forces (GAF) against Sierra Leonean citizens residing in Yenga, Sokoma, Paegobengu, Fendu, and Weima.
Also in that delegation were the Deputy Minister of Defence, the Minister of State (East), representatives from the Mano River Union, and other senior security stakeholders.