Operation Dusk to Dawn: Bo Police nabs 21 notorious armed robbers

By Abdul Hassan Fackie

The Local Unit Commander of the Bo Division of the Sierra Leone Police Force, Chief Superintendent of Police Thomas M. Lahai, revealed to AYV that a total of 21 notorious armed robbers have been remanded in custody at the District Prison after they all pleaded guilty to various criminal charges.

In a telephone interview, LUC Lahai said the suspected armed robbers were arrested in different hideouts and brought to Court last week. 

Among the arrested armed robbers, he disclosed, were two renowned ones by the names of Daddy Buck and Daddy Cummings.

LUC Lahai also disclosed that they decided to launch “Operation Dusk to Dawn” as a result of the increase in the spate of armed robbery across the country.

“We knew that after they had been chased out of Freetown, they were going to relocate to the provinces.  That was why we took no chances and we are taking no chances to round all the notorious armed robbers across the country.  This is a well coordinated operation… Our colleagues in Kenema, Kono, Makeni and other parts of the country are undertaking similar operations. We want to put a nail to armed robbery in this country,” he said.

In an interview last night, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Musa Tarawally vowed that he will ensure that armed robbery across the country becomes very unattractive to criminals and that they will be forced to look for better things to do.

“I am determined to go after them wherever they are. I will not allow the people of this country to continue to live in fear because of the activities of some hooligans. That is unacceptable!” said Hon. Tarawally. “The Police are doing a fantastic job to curb the increasing spate of armed robbery in the country and I promise that we will maintain this robust approach until all the armed robbers are rounded up and kept behind lock and key.”

It could be recalled that widespread armed robbery in the country led to community youths forming vigilante units to protect their communities from the growing menace. However, two vigilante youths at Wellington were shot by the police after mistaking them for armed robbers; an unfortunate action the force for good have appropriately apologized for.

The Minister of Internal Affairs said Police are working round the clock to assume full responsibility of protecting lives and property to prevent similar incidents in the future.