Fritong Post Newspaper

25/10/2025

NDLEA Leads 3-Day Operation to Crack Down on Kush

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with the National Public Health Agency, the police and the military has launched a three-day operation to tackle the growing Kushdemic crisis across the country.

The nationwide exercise, which begins today, will focus on community sensitization, rehabilitation support for Kush victims, and coordinated raids on known Kush hotspots.

This action comes amid mounting public concern over the government’s lukewarm response to a crisis that is claiming lives at an “alarming rate.”

Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr recently revealed that Kush-related deaths have shifted from being “occasional” to “almost daily,” with the FCC recording 220 co**ses of young people who died like stray dogs in the streets between January and October this year.

As the three-day operation gets underway, critics argue that such a knee-jerk response is unlikely to yield meaningful results against a nationwide crisis whose true scale and depth remain largely undetermined.

*_Photo Credit: Kadija Jalloh_*

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24/10/2025

*FCC data shows spike in Kushdemic mortality*

New data from the Freetown City Council (FCC) reveals a shocking surge in deaths related to the dangerous synthetic drug called Kush. Since the beginning of 2025, at least 220 bodies have been collected from the streets of Freetown, marking a catastrophic increase that has transformed an occasional tragedy into a near-daily occurrence.

The crisis has spread across the capital, with co**ses retrieved from central Freetown to peripheral communities like Kissy and Lumley. Between January 1 and August 13, 142 bodies (136 males, 6 females) were collected.

An additional 32 bodies (31 males, 1 female) were retrieved between August 13 and September 11. The FCC noted that this figure dramatically contrasts with the preceding four years (2020-2023), where the annual count consistently remained below 50.

Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr confirmed this alarming trend, stating that co**se collection has shifted from "occasional" to "almost daily."

These young lives, once full of promise, are now grim statistics. Of the 220 co**ses collected in the first nine months of 2025, 170 were buried by the FCC, while 50 were identified and claimed by relatives.

However, the escalating crisis is now tragically complicated by a bureaucratic dispute at the highest levels of governance. In a letter dated October 20, 2025, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr disclosed that the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs had challenged the FCC's "source of authority" for retrieving the dead.

In response, the mayor announced the immediate suspension of the FCC’s co**se collection services. This decision, driven by an administrative conflict, leaves a horrifying void in public service. There is currently no clear authority designated to manage the collection and dignified burial of the bodies that continue to appear almost daily on Freetown's streets.

On Wednesday, Truth Media reported that a group of men bulldozed their way into the Wilberforce cemetery and abandoned a co**se *_(shown in photo)_* on the ground and left. Onlookers suggest that this co**se could be another kush-related death.

The mayor concluded her communication with an urgent plea to the central government, seeking clarification on which institution should now be responsible for co**se collection within the municipality.

*_Photo credit: Truth Media_*

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24/10/2025

*Government affirms Jos Leijdekkers' stay in Sierra Leone*

After numerous denials, the government has publicly unknowingly acknowledged that the Dutch co***ne underworld prince, Jos Leijdekkers, is staying in Sierra Leone. This acknowledgement came from Hon. Chernoh Bah, the official government spokesman and Minister of Information and Civic Education, during a recent press briefing.

Minister Bah was addressing growing public concerns regarding Leijdekkers, also known as Bolle Jos, who is on Europe's most wanted list for large-scale co***ne trafficking and organized crime.

He stated that the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice is actively collaborating with international partners, including the Dutch government, to ensure a swift and transparent extradition process.

"The Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice is working closely with the Dutch authorities and other international partners to expedite the extradition process," Minister Bah affirmed. He further emphasized that this process will strictly adhere to the country’s laws in order to uphold the rule of law.

Zacharia Jalloh of the government's Strategic Communications Unit reiterated these points communicated via the ministry’s official WhatsApp channel.

Minister Bah's statements also addressed increasing scrutiny of Sierra Leone's diplomatic and security procedures, prompted by media reports linking foreign criminals to the possession of Sierra Leonean diplomatic passports. The Minister clarified that a full investigation has been launched to verify these claims.

"The government is investigating the matter to establish the facts," Bah stated. He added, "It is important for the public to understand that anyone can choose to engage in criminal acts on their own, but the Government of Sierra Leone does not and will never knowingly issue the country’s passport to criminals.”

The public now awaits the outcomes of both the Leijdekkers extradition case and the ongoing passport investigation from the country’s justice and security sector.

24/10/2025

Today’s edition

22/10/2025

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20/10/2025

*Judiciary Intensifies Measures to Tackle Kushdemic*

The Judiciary of Sierra Leone has announced measures to fast-track drug-related cases in response to the escalating *_Kushdemic_* crisis, assigning seven judges and four magistrates to handle such matters in the Western Area.

Chief Justice Komba Kamanda has also directed judges and magistrates in provincial jurisdictions to make these cases a top priority, with court sittings now extended to Saturdays to ensure swift proceedings.

The move comes amid growing public alarm over the impact of Kush on communities, despite attempts by the Speaker of Parliament to downplay the scale of the crisis.

The past few weeks have witnessed disturbing incidents of children fighting over the synthetic drug and the Freetown City Council’s retrieval of over 200 co**ses of people who died of drug-related causes in the streets. All these, including threats against journalists for simply sounding the alarm bells, underscore the severity of the situation.

Heavy pressure is mounting on government to tackle the problem head-on.

The judiciary's efforts are part of a broader strategy to combat drug-related crimes, promote justice and public safety.

20/10/2025

In 2024, contributed NLe781m to the economy and NLe998m in revenue for local suppliers. Nearly 95% of the population now has 4G coverage, with 70% of network sites solar-powered. The company also planted 10,000 trees in Moyamba, trained 14.5k youth (47% women, 38% job integrations) through its Digital Center, and reached 14.6k beneficiaries via the Orange Foundation.

Read more:

Orange Sierra Leone has published its 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, highlighting major achievements in national development, digital advancement, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. The report reflects the company’s continued commitment to supporting govern...

17/10/2025

*Sierra Leone and Lebanon to have a Bilateral Regulatory Framework on Migration*

The two countries have agreed to develop a Bilateral Labour Agreement to regulate the flow of migration between them, according to a readout from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE).

In a meeting between Labour Minister Mohamed Rahman Swaray and his Lebanon counterpart Dr. Mohammad Haidar, at the 6th Session of the Islamic Conference of Labour Ministers in Doha, Qatar, it was stated that the proposed regulatory framework will ensure fair and ethical recruitment and employment practices for migrant workers and guarantee their protection.

Additionally, Minister Swarray emphasised the need to establish a digital system to track the flow of migrant workers and their families and to monitor the well-being of Sierra Leoneans in Lebanon.

This submission was construed to have been made on the backdrop of numerous reports of migrant smuggling, illegal recruitment and maltreatment of Sierra Leonean workers in Lebanon.

Since taking up office Minister Swarray has piloted a number of labour laws and regulations to ensure overseas recruitment are done in line with international best practices.

Photo credit: MoICE

16/10/2025

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14/10/2025

Opinion:

While Gen Z movements across Africa are rising against corruption and injustice, ours have been systematically sedated, politically drugged, socially disarmed and now imprisoned in ‘kushdom.’ Politicians have weaponized poverty, unemployment and addiction to keep them numb and docile. The rise of kush is therefore not just a drug crisis; it’s a political strategy, a system-designed tool to kill any revolutionary spirit before it’s even born.

Read more:

By Lawrence Williams A new wave of youthful consciousness is reshaping or better still rewriting stories across Africa. From Kenya to Senegal, from Uganda to Madagascar, Gen Z has become the pulse of political change — fearless, united, and unrelenting in their demand for justice and accountabilit...

14/10/2025

SLAJ Condemns Threats Against Journalist Amadu Lamrana Bah: A Grave Attack on Press Freedom

Press Release — 14/10/2025

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) expresses deep concern over the safety and security of Amadu Lamrana Bah, presenter of the ‘Morning Devotion’ programme on Truth Radio, following the circulation of a disturbing video on social media allegedly made by Madam Admire Bio.

In the video, a voice in the background also issues threats and hurls abusive language at Mr. Bah, referring to him in vile and unprintable language. These threats followed Mr. Bah’s public comments on the devastating impact of Kush, a dangerous substance destroying the lives and potential of Sierra Leone’s youth.

SLAJ strongly condemns these threats and insults, as they are not only disrespectful and dangerous but also a direct attack on press freedom and freedom of expression: fundamental rights guaranteed under the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.

Section 11 of the Constitution provides that “the press shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Constitution and to highlight the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”

Similarly, Section 25(1) guarantees “the freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”
“We are deeply disturbed by this report. Threats against journalists are unacceptable and must be treated with the utmost seriousness,” said SLAJ President, Alhaji Manika Kamara.

SLAJ therefore calls on the Sierra Leone Police to urgently investigate this matter and ensure that journalists can continue their work without fear, intimidation, or reprisal.

The Association also urges all citizens, public officials, and political actors to uphold civility, tolerance, and respect for the media’s constitutional role as watchdogs of society.

SLAJ stands in full solidarity with Amadu Lamrana Bah and all journalists committed to truth, accountability, and public service.

“An attack on one journalist is an attack on every Sierra Leonean’s right to know,” said President Kamara.

Signed:

Edward Marah
Secretary General

14/10/2025

The Sierra Leone government is investigating how Turkish drug lord Abdullah Alp Üstün (alias Don Vito) came to possess a Sierra Leone diplomatic passport. Üstün, recently arrested in UAE and extradited to Turkey, is linked to Dutch co***ne kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, who reports say is taking refuge in Sierra Leone from where he’s revived his international co***ne empire and as well married to President Bio’s daughter.

Read more:

Sierra Leone probes how Turkish drug lord Abdullah Alp Üstün obtained a diplomatic passport amid links to Dutch co***ne kingpin Jos Leijdekkers.