Sierra Leone Police Launch National Right-of-Way Enforcement

Tuesday January 6, 2026 — In response to President Dr Julius Maada Bio’s proclamation of 2026 as the Year of Action, the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has launched a targeted series of safety and traffic enforcement measures throughout the Western Area to restore the Right of Way (ROW), reduce congestion, and strengthen public safety.
The operation, led by Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu, is explicitly based on the Sierra Leone Police Strategic Development Plan (SDP), specifically Goal One, which prioritises increased public safety and crime reduction. According to authorities, the actions put SDP Interventions 14 and 17, which emphasise crime suppression as well as improved traffic management and road safety initiatives, into practice. By linking operational activity to the SDP and the presidential call to action, the police hope to demonstrate consistent, policy-driven enforcement in affected communities.
On Tuesday, SLP command teams dismantled several makeshift and illegal structures built on the ROW and beneath the Hill Cut overhead bridge. The demolitions were carried out to restore free vehicular and pedestrian movement, alleviate chronic traffic bottlenecks, and reduce the risks posed by encroachments along busy road corridors. Officials described the exercise as an immediate step toward reclaiming public spaces that have been made dangerous or impassable by illegal occupation.
During the same operation, police dismantled an illegal settlement that authorities claim served as a hub for drug trading and trafficking. The encampment’s removal was presented as necessary to mitigate a serious threat to community safety and national security, as well as to disrupt criminal activity in unregulated spaces.
Enforcement was extended to areas such as IMATT, Regent, and the vicinity of the American Embassy, where unregulated timber trading had encroached on the ROW, causing persistent congestion and risks to pedestrians and motorists. Police said targeted clearances in these areas are intended to improve traffic flow, increase road user safety, and restore orderly commerce alongside lawful trading activities.
The Sierra Leone Police reaffirmed its commitment to continuing these operations on a national scale, emphasising that enforcement will continue as part of a larger strategy to reclaim public spaces, enforce traffic regulations, and reduce crime in accordance with government policy and the SDP. Residents and motorists are being urged to cooperate with officers, obey traffic laws, and support efforts to make roads and communities safer as the Year of Action progresses.