By MTM<\/em><\/strong> He added that: <\/strong> The statement noted that: <\/strong> He said: <\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By MTM “The Chiefdom\u2019straditional authorities, elders, and community members have raised serious allegations against Mrs. Yeanoh Kama Kanu relating to actions believed to violate sacred customs, ancestral values, and long standing social norms of the Limba people.These alleged actions have caused significant distress among traditional custodians, who view them as a direct affront to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
“The Chiefdom\u2019straditional authorities, elders, and community members have raised serious allegations against Mrs. Yeanoh Kama Kanu relating to actions believed to violate sacred customs, ancestral values, and long standing social norms of the Limba people.
These alleged actions have caused significant distress among traditional custodians, who view them as a direct affront to the dignity, spiritual order, and cultural identity of the Chiefdom.
The Community wishes to emphasize that offences of this nature carry profound cultural consequences. When left unaddressed, they risk creating deep social divisions weakening traditional authority, and undermine the harmony that binds the people together,” Augustine Tarawalli, Speaker Safroko Limba Chiefdom, Makeni City, Bombali District Northern Sierra Leone said in a letter to the Minister of Political and Community Affairs formerly Public Affairs dated 9th February, 2026 requesting for the surrendering of thirty-six years old Mrs. Yeanoh Kama Kanu, Senior Gender & Advocacy Officer National Commission for Democracy (NCD) Sierra Leone and an Australian-awarded scholarship recipient pursuing her Masters of Art degree specializingin Gender and Women\u2019s Studies at Flinders University Adelaide Australia.
As an Australian -awarded African scholarship recipient, Mrs. Kanu\u2019s returning home served a dual purpose \u2013 toparticipatein the National Commission for Democracy’s (NCD) signature “Face-to-Face with Democracy” outreach programmeand piloting her own Reintegration Action Plan.
The Reintegration Action Plan is a strategic community-level project designed to translate her academic insights into practical democratic and inclusive frameworks, set to be fully implemented upon the completion of her studies. Fully approved by both the National NCD and her academic scholarship sponsors, the initiative seamlessly bridges theoretical research in gender and social inclusion with grassroots democratic participation.
This fieldwork highlights the vital role of international scholarship programs in empowering professionals to drive tangible, community-led development upon their return to their countries.
On the 5th February, 2026, Mrs. Kanu, Mr. Kargbo and their driver travelled to Mabonkeni Village, Safroko Chiefdom with Lamin Kargbo, age 36, resident of Moiglja Drive, Freetown, Communications Officer and their driver were assaulted in the line of duty.
Makeni City, Bombali District Northern Sierra Leone is regarded as a political stronghold of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, and homeland of the country\u2019s former President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma who was recently granted amnesty for his alleged involvement in a failed coup in November, 2023.
In July 2020, protest broke out in Makeni following the governing Sierra Leone Peoples
Party (SLPP) decision to relocate a standby electricity generator to Lungi, Port Loko District.
Residents viewed the move as a threat to electricity supply leading to a fatal protest. At least five protesters were killed when security forces intervened during the unrest. Other reports suggested that the death toll may have reached six according to Media Foundation for West Africa, and other sources.
Civil society organizations and human rights advocates have repeatedly questioned why no one has been prosecuted in connection with the deaths.
At the same time, government officials have argued that security personnel were responding to a rapidly deteriorating situation characterized by violence, destruction of property and attacks on public facilities. Authorities subsequently pledged to investigate the incident, though critics maintained that the victims’ families are still waiting for meaningful accountability.
The case remains a prominent example cited by rights advocates who argue that the state must do more to ensure accountability whenever lethal force is used against civilians by members of the security sector.
Mrs. Kanu who wasspeaking through an interpreter on the need for reintegration, stressed the need for theprotection of girls, women, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) and other minority groups.
Mrs. Kanu appealed to the participants that minority groups have rights too and their rights must be protected and respected for the peaceful coexistence and development of the community.
Mrs. Kanu\u2019s comments were deemed antithetical and inimical to the cultural, traditional, religious and social values of the people who wasted no time to launch an instantaneous, coordinated verbal and physical attack against her and her colleagues.
“They were almost lynched, their properties including, laptop computer, mobile phones and other belongings seized by the locals. An elder said that Mrs. Kanu\u2019s way of thinking has been contaminated by western education and she is now being used by westerners to brainwash the locals in their way of life by sowing a seed of discord,” an anonymous source revealed.
The incident was condemned by the NCD on 10th February, 2026 in a press release in which they ‘condemned threats and assault’ on their staffers during the performance of their lawful national duty. They described the threats and assaults on their staff as, “deeply troubling and undermine the principles of peace, dialogue, and democratic engagement that the Commission is mandated to promote.”
It came to many including Mrs. Kanu\u2019s family as an unpleasantsurprise to learn from a leaked letter on social media that the NCD\u2019s condemnation has taken a seismic shift with Mrs. Kanu now being victimized by being formally asked to consider submitting her resignation at the earliest possible opportunity or else riskbeing sacked.
Contained in the leaked Confidential Administrative Advisory letter dated 25th February, 2026, authored by M.A Tholley, Admin and Human Rights Director NCD, he noted that the employment status of Mrs. Kanu has placed the Commission under pressure from its supervisory body, the Ministry of Political Affairs, regarding her continued tenure.
“As you are aware, the current political environment is highly sensitive, particularly with the upcoming presidential elections. The Government is focused on maintaining the limited political gains recently achieved in the Northern Region, which remains a stronghold of the opposition,” said Tholley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“…the Ministry has expressed strong concerns. It has indicated that administrative action against you would support on-going efforts to stabilise relations with the Paramount Chief and, by extension, the wider community in the region. As a result, the Commission has been urged to consider to measure up and including termination of your appointment.”
The letter noted that the action is not in any way questioning Mrs. Kanu\u2019s work or professional competences but politics.
“It is important to emphasise that these pressures are political in nature and are not related to your performance, conduct, or professional output,” Tholley added.
It is towards this end that an advice and threat was issued to Mrs. Kanu, saying that:
“The Commission is formally advising you to consider submitting your resignation at the earliest possible opportunity. This step is recommended solely to safeguard your eligibility for end-of-service benefits, which may be forfeited in the event of a dismissal initiated under a ministerial directive.”
Sources revealed that had it not been for the intervention of the Sierra Leone Police, the angry mob could have kidnapped Mrs. Kanu and cohorts and forcefully initiate them in a brutal way into their male and female societies as a punitive action to deter others from sharing her sentiments.
Inspector John Kamara in a Sierra Leone Police Incident Report confirmed that Mrs. Kanu and her team were victims of attack due to pro LGBTQ and anti FGM comments that she made.
“The situation escalated when certain individuals issued direct threats against Mrs. Kanu indicating that her presence and advocacy were forbidden and that she should face the maximum punishment for attempting to negatively influence their customs with pro-western ideas,” the Police confirmed.
They added that due to the volatile situation and unsafe atmosphere, Mrs. Kanu was placed under protective custody to prevent an escalation and protect her life against harm. The Police also confirmed that the situation further deteriorated to the point that their station was under siege and threats, one that they could not have contained so they had to whisk her out of the station, region and eventual to the border town of Gbalamuya, Kambia Districtclose toneighbouring Guinea, Conakry.
The Police however recommended that:<\/strong>
“As traditional and cultural matters are often intricate and carry significant consequences, it is advisable that Mrs. Kanu refrains from returning to the country currently, in order to avoid exacerbating the situation and to safeguard her wellbeing.”
When asked if arrests have been made, the Police said:
“It is a matter that is too culturally and politically sensitive and it is beyond our control.” This is suggestive of the notion of state capture by orders from above and powerful traditional entities.
Sierra Leone is a secularist democracy but respected for its religious tolerance. Culture and tradition plays and integral role in the daily lives of its people especially in rural areas.
Pastors, Imams and Chiefs are seen as moral guarantors and custodians of religion, the culture and tradition of the land.
The country is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Discriminations against Women (CEDAW) and other protocols protecting women, girls and minority groups, but the domestication and effective implementation of these protocols has been nothingto write home about.
There is a serious lack of political will to end sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) such as FGM even when the World Health Organization insists that FGM as a practice has no health benefits and it is internationally recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Several attempts by advocates and rights groups to champion legislations outlawing these practices have been unsuccessful due to pushbacks and the fear of political backlash from the rural electorate who may note vote for any political party or individual that tries to abhor these practices.
In January, 2023, Founder and Director of the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM-SL),an organization focused on ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),Madam Rugiatu Neneh Turay described the burning of her school bus as one of the highest intimidationand unreasonable thinking by any group of people.
In September, 2025 an official statement from Inter Religious Council (IRCSL) expressed concern and dismay over an act of same sex marriage between two women, following a viral video of a clergy blessing their union.
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“As a nation that is founded on strong cultural, religious, and moral values, Sierra Leone does not recognize or condone such practice.
Both Christianity and Islam, the dominant faiths in the country clearly uphold marriage as a sacred union between a man and a woman. IRCSL strongly condemns this act, which undermines the moral standards and religious teachings that guides the peace and harmony of our country. While we continue to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence amongst all, we emphasize that no action should be taken that openly disregard our laws, religious doctrines and tradition,” Rev. Dr. Usman Jessie Fornah, General Secretary IRCSL said.
Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Section 61 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, and imprisonment for life is possible. Female same-sex sexual activity is legal. In 2011, Sierra Leone was one of five African countries to join the United Nations’ “Joint
Statement on Ending Acts of Violence Related Human Rights Violations Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity”, which called for an end to “acts of violence, criminal sanctions and related human rights violations committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity”.
In June, 2023, Imams in Freetown mobilized to fight against homosexuality, at Thunder Hill, Western Area Urban Freetown Municipality.
\u201cOur fellow brothers in this community (Thunder Hill) want to legalize homosexuality. We will not tolerate this. We must unite against it. As Muslims, let us come together in this fight. We cannot allow homosexuality in our country, especially in Thunder Hill. If individuals wish to engage in such acts, they are free to do so in other locations, but not here,\u201d the leader of the protest declared.
The investigation on the case of Mrs. Kanu is yet to be concluded andlocal authorities continue to mount pressure by compelling the government that the NCD must produce Mrs. Kanu or else the governing Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) risk paying a bitter price at the upcoming elections slated for 2028.
The government is seemingly unwilling to protect its own out of political fear of not winning votes at the expense of protecting the lives of minority groups.
Ibrahim Jalloh, Resident Minister Northern Region Government of Sierra Leone downplayed our request for clarification on the Safroko Limba Chiefdom letter to his colleague Minister of Political and Community Affairs requesting for the surrendering of Mrs. Kanu for alleged offences against the tradition and people of the Chiefdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The government is looking into the merits of every complaint that it receives.”
When asked if the seized computer and mobile phone of Mrs. Kanu and Mr. Kargbo\u2019s belongings have been returned and what has been their intervention eight months after the incident, he said that the government is still looking into the matter and the needful will be done.
Asked to confirm if it is true that the government is under pressure to take action against Mrs. Kanu, he dodged, saying that they will comment upon the completion of a full investigation and take the necessary action in the interest of the greater good.
Lamin Kargbo who spoke with us from an undisclosed location said that despite sustaining serious bodily injuries (hands and feet partially paralyzed) and psychological traumatized, he has been placed on an indefinite leave and has not received any support from the NCD. He said that he feels abandoned and betrayed by the very institution puts his life on the line that is now throwing him under the bus because of administrative and political pressure from above.
“Even though my six months medical leave ended in August, when I reached out, I was told to wait because there are unfinished matters that are still being addressed. I have not received any medical assistance from the institution that sent me on an outreach in which I was attacked and almost killed. I have been neglected,” he lamented.
According to the United States Government, Sierra Leone\u2019s 2024 Human Rights Report,
Section 3, Security of the Person, a. Torture and Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment, it highlighted that: “The law did not prohibit female genital mutilation\/cutting (FGM\/C) for women or girls.”
According to local NGOs, as of February, 83 per cent of women and girls ages 15 to 49 had experienced FGM\/C, a decrease from a 2013 report of 90 per cent. Even when there is an understanding that under age (18) must not be cut, the country\u2019s First Lady, Fatima Jabbie Bio is unrepentant about her supports for the practice of FGM.
On 12th June, 2026 in an Alert, Hivos, a human rights and social justice organization driven by humanist values based The Hague, The Netherlands noted that:
\u201fFirst Lady Fatima Bio\u2019s FGM support threatens anti-FGM activists and campaigners, adding that on the 23rd May 2026 in Kenema East of Sierra Leone, First lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone publicly defended Soweis -traditional women who conduct Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)), and assured them of her full backing and support in carrying out the practice.
She made this statement at a pre-initiation public gathering in Kenema city, eastern region, and these comments are detrimental to victims and anti-FGM activists in Sierra Leone. Activists are now scared for their safety in criticizing the practice, because this practice has been perceived as part of the culture in many communities, and the First Lady\u2019s backing will embolden the Soweis to target them as a result of the influence and power she wields in the country, Hivos noted.
Mrs. Fatima Bio even went on her Facebook page naming some of the campaigners, thereby putting their safety and that of their families at risk, after they petitioned against her invitation to speak at an event on women\u2019s rights at the University of Cambridge, an irony comparing her FGM stance.
A Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) study discovered that anti-FGM campaigners are now worried and this will force them into self-censorship and distort their work, which is further contributing to clouding the enabling environment.
It is believed that this and a lot more of such statements from Fatima Bio and actions are emboldening attacks against advocates such as Mrs. Kanu, considering the fact that Fatima Bio is in a pole position in the race for the governing SLPP presidential flag bearer ahead of the 2028 elections, according to an IGR Research.
Attempts to reach out to Mrs. Kanu through her mobile phone number to get her side of the story proved futile.
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