By Momoh Kanu
Cases of political persecution are underreported in Sierra Leone.
Since 2018 when a new regime took over the mantle of leadership of Sierra Leone, more young people are fleeing the country for not only economic reasons but also, for fear of political persecution.
20-year-old Alvin Usman Bangura is reported to be among the people fleeing ‘Political Persecution’ due to his refusal to join ranks with the ruling government member of parliament, Ibrahim Sowa.
We Yone Newspaper on November 10th, 2023, was contacted by a relative of 20-year-old Alvin Usman Bangura, who is reported to have been arrested by the Sierra Leone police, following the hunt for protesters who took to the streets of Freetown.
The relative who identified himself as a youth activist recalled the said Ibrahim Sowa, before the June 2023 general elections in Sierra Leone approached the family of Alvin Usman Bangura to canvass votes for himself and the incumbent president, Julius Maada Bio.
Alvin Usman Bangura’s family is renowned for their support of the main opposition party, but Sowa was forceful in saying they must vote for him or prepare for the worst.
Alvin Usman Bangura was born on the 10th of October 2004, in Freetown, and would only visit his family siblings in the province’s district of Gambia Kambia.
The promising young man is single and childless.
He lost his father at a very tender age to a stroke. His mother, two brothers, and one sister are in Kambia and he maintains contact with them.
According to findings, following the August 10th unrest in Freetown, Alvin alongside his uncle was at home without participating in any demonstration, but later that evening, MP Sowa came to the house, together with police officers, accusing them of participating in the demonstrations, as a result of which he was arrested together with his uncle.
Alvin’s aunty who was heavily pregnant was spared by the police while they were taken to Pademba Road Prisons.
During the attempted coup on November 27th, Alvin Bangura was forced to leave the prisons by assailants.
He left Sierra Leone in December 2023 by road to Guinea, and he then traveled by road to Turkey, on a trip that lasted about a month and some days.
Family sources confirmed Alvin is still on the wanted list of the Sierra Leone police.
