The process of disarming and re-training and demobilising is integral in the mission of the ECOWAS Forces to achieve a long-lasting peace and national security in Sierra Leone. Professionalism within the military and police forces has been in short supply in the last six years of Julius Maada Bio’s violent-oriented SLPP regime. The majority of Sierra Leoneans who have suffered untold hardships from the brutal soldiers and police would definitely give thumbs-up for disarmament, re-training and demobilisation. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes. (Photo: ECOWAS Forces will carry out disarmament).

One week to the deployment of the ECOWAS Forces on September 15, there are confirmed reports intimating that Maada Bio who is totally against the ECOWAS arrival has secretly put distractive plans in place to confuse and undermine the foreign soldiers in the country. From using pretty but lousy women as concubine to lure unsuspecting ECOWAS soldiers into love-nests to planting SLPP/Paopa soldiers as part of the ECOWAS contingents to distract the ECOWAS Standby Forces and ECOMISIL. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes.

But as fate would have it, Maada Bio’s latest devious tactics to wrong foot the ECOWAS Forces have been exposed. Impeccable information has noted that the Sierra Leone contingents in the ECOWAS Troops will be allowed to deploy only at the Lungi Depot and not be part of the ECOMISIL Forces to be deployed for tactical reasons in three strategic sites in Freetown and its outskirts. On the imminent disarming and demobilising of the Kamajor militias in military and police uniforms, this is one primary reason why the embarrassed Maada Bio has secretly put reactionary plans afoot to distract the ECOWAS Forces. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes. (Photo: Disarmament processes have taken place before in Sierra Leone).

Demobilisation of the SLPP security forces simply means that the action of releasing unfit and unqualified soldiers and police officers from the army and the police, especially at the end of a violent and chaotic governance. Sierra Leone has been literally in war in the last six banditry years of Maada Bio. There is a popular demand by the people for the disarmament and demobilisation and re-training of the security personnel who are contaminated with tribalism and regionalism. Kamajor militias were secretly recruited to overwhelm the army and police. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes.

Sources say the jittery Maada Bio is still determined to mingle his Sierra Leone Kamajor soldiers into the ECOWAS Forces to detract the ECOWAS soldiers. Abuja sources say the Sierra Leone soldiers would more likely to join the Lungi Depot and not the ECOMISIL Troops slated for the bases in Freetown. Reports have also noted that there are patriotic soldiers at the Presidential Lodge who are sincere with the ECOWAS deployments. But there are dishonest Bio military officers who are adamant that ECOWAS are not coming to remove Maada. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes. (Photos: Maada Bio stole the June elections. Dr Samura Kamara won it).

The Bio agents have even planned to use attractive women as columbines to trap the ECOWAS soldiers into romantic beds ostensibly to divert their full attention from their main mission. And providing dinners are also in Bio’s plans for the ECOWAS soldiers to feed on and the delicious food would contain black magic Juju charms to change and confuse the minds of the ECOWAS soldiers. Spiritual conquests, they call it. Reports say the ECOWAS Forces will also re-train other national security sectors like the Office of National Security ONS. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes.

Total re-organisation of the army and police is reminiscence of what happened during the President Tejan Kabbah’s era. The people of Sierra Leone have been subjected to horrendous humiliation and harassment by the rag-tag Kamajor militias dressed in army and police uniforms. The citizens are yearning for health and safety this time around as ECOWAS Forces arrive. Freedom is coming with the coming of ECOWAS Troops. Sierra Leone will be a template and precedent for other countries around the world to emulate. Electoral Justice is central in the disarmament and demobilisation processes.