It is no coincidence that the military fleet from the United Kingdom has landed in Sierra Leone, a country that is in dear need of stability now than ever before following the fraudulent June 24, 2023 elections which the incumbent and illegal President Julius Maada Bio stole publicly in connivance with the crook chair of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone ECSL. (Photo: British Military Vessel in Freetown).

As the ECOWAS Commission prepares for the deployment of 1.200 ECOMISIL soldiers in Sierra Leone any time from now in order to provide security that would pave the way for the restoration of democracy and constitutional rule in the country, the coming of the United Kingdom’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, RFA Lyme Bay in the sub-region is no coincidence.

Its arrival in Sierra Leone is part of the wider network of ECOWAS determination to stabilise the sub-region. The negative role of the ECSL Chief Returning Officer Mohamed Kenewui Konneh in last year’s crucial general and presidential elections which ended in the declaration of the incumbent as the winner, has only added insult to injury. (Photos: Dr Samura Kamara, real winner. And illegal President Maada Bio).

As a result, electoral chaos has plunged Sierra Leone into instability and uncertainty and economic hardship. Hence, the urgent need for ECOWAS through the instructions of the United Nations Security Council to deploy peacekeepers in the two troubled nations, namely Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. It is therefore no coincidence that the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary military vessel has toured a few West Africa states at this crucial point in time.

Reports say the Royal Fleet vessel, RFA Lyme Bay which landed in Freetown on Monday November 11, 2024, had stayed in the country for two days before continuing its journey to Liberia today. This is the second time the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel has berthed in Sierra Leone. The last time was during the Ebola pandemic outbreak in 2014.

Eyewitnesses at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Quay, popularly known as Water Quay, say when the British vessel landed, the entire area was blockaded from outsiders. Reports quickly filtered in that ECOMOG gun boat had landed berthed at Water Quay. But further probe finally confirmed that it was not ECOMOG gum boat but a military ship from Britain to prop up ECOMISIL. (Photo: High Commissioner Josephine Gauld).

The New British High Commissioner Josephine Gauld Gave More Information on the Vessel

High Commissioner Josephine Gauld said the visit is part of a Defence Engagement Tour that includes stops in Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal aimed at bolstering regional partnerships in Maritime Defence. “This visit underscores the strong and enduring partnership between the UK and Sierra Leone. It will help strengthen our collective efforts to maintain regional stability,” British High Commissioner Josephine Gauld said.

She said it is part of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership organised in collaboration with the British High Commission and Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Defence. She added that UK personnel, including 42 Commando Royal Marines, will engage with their Sierra Leone counterparts to exchange knowledge and build security capabilities and other issues.

The UK High Commissioner disclosed that the UK-led defence initiative will run from 2024 to 2029 with a focus on combating regional security threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, and the rise of violent extremist organisations. All these initiatives are parallel with ECOWAS mandates to curb instability in Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Sierra Leoneans should be patient to know that ECOMISIL will land very soon.