19/08/2026
IGP Sellu Strengthens Community Policing in Kailahun with Five Motorbikes.
KAILAHUN, 18 August 2026 — The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has taken another significant step towards strengthening community policing in Kailahun, following the fulfilment of a commitment made by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), William Fayia Sellu, to the Kailahun Local Policing Partnership Board (LPPB).
The IGP has donated five motorbikes to support community safety initiatives, improve police visibility and strengthen collaboration between the police and communities across Kailahun.
The handover ceremony, held on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, at the Kailahun Court, brought together senior police officers, community leaders, local authorities and residents.
The donation follows the IGP’s visit to Kailahun on Saturday, 1 August 2026, in the aftermath of disturbances that occurred in the area on 21 June 2026. During that visit, the IGP met with members of the LPPB and assured them of his continued support, including a commitment to provide five motorbikes to enhance community policing activities.
Representing the IGP at the ceremony, the Regional Police Commander, East, ACP Joe K**anda Bongay, expressed regret over the IGP’s absence due to official engagements. He, however, reaffirmed the confidence of the police leadership in the LPPB and other community-based structures in Kailahun.
ACP Bongay said the donation was a clear demonstration of the SLP’s commitment to strengthening police-community relations and advancing people-centred policing. He urged members of the LPPB and Community Safety Volunteers (CSVs) to use the motorbikes responsibly and work closely with police officers to promote safety and security within their communities.
He explained that the motorbikes would enhance police and community visibility, facilitate faster responses to incidents and support the timely collection and sharing of information. He further stressed that their use must be properly coordinated with the Local Unit Commander to ensure accountability and effective deployment.
Paramount Chief Mohamed Sama Kailodo Banya of Luawa Chiefdom welcomed the donation and commended IGP Sellu for his community-oriented leadership. He described the gesture as an important contribution towards the collective responsibility of preventing crime and maintaining peace and security in Kailahun.
The Paramount Chief urged the Chairman of the LPPB, Mr Baba Sondifu Gobeh, and his team to use the motorbikes responsibly and provide regular reports on their activities.
Responding on behalf of the LPPB, Chairman Gobeh expressed appreciation to the IGP and the Sierra Leone Police for the support. He assured the police and the wider community that the LPPB would manage the motorbikes responsibly and use them strictly for community safety and policing purposes.
The official handover culminated in the presentation of the motorbikes to Police Constable Mohamed Sama Kailodo Banya, who will oversee their deployment to members of the LPPB.
The occasion ended on a positive note, with community members expressing appreciation for the SLP’s continued efforts to improve security and strengthen its partnership with local communities.
In a related development, ACP K**anda-Bongay visited the communities of Gbalahun and Ngehun, where residents had constructed structures intended to serve as police posts.
The Regional Police Commander commended the communities for taking practical steps to support policing in their respective areas. He described the initiative as a strong demonstration of community ownership and a shared commitment to improving local security.
ACP Bongay assured the communities of the SLP’s support and pledged to bring their concerns to the attention of police leadership, with a view to facilitating the deployment of police personnel to the areas as soon as possible.
Town officials and community leaders from Gbalahun and Ngehun expressed their appreciation for the police leadership’s recognition of their efforts and pledged their continued cooperation with the SLP in maintaining peace, security and stability.
The developments in Kailahun underscore the Sierra Leone Police’s commitment to strengthening community partnerships and advancing the transition from a traditional force-oriented approach to a service-oriented, people-centred model of policing.
The donation of the motorbikes, together with the communities’ initiative to provide structures for police posts, demonstrates that safer communities are built through partnership. By bringing police and communities closer together, the SLP continues to promote local ownership, mutual trust and collective responsibility for peace and security across Sierra Leone.
SLP Media Team
