April, 2026 — The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TiKA) has provided comprehensive training to the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), with the agency’s Country Director describing Sierra Leone as one of Africa’s most peaceful nations. The offer, made during a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), reflects a growing collaboration aimed at increasing the police force’s capacity and professionalism.
When TiKA’s Country Director in Sierra Leone, Mirzet Muezzinoglu, met with IGP William Fayia Sellu at Kingtom, he shared the agency’s assessment of the country’s security situation. Muezzinoglu stated that during his recent visits to ten African countries, the peace and tranquillity he witnessed in Sierra Leone were “second to none.” He praised the Sierra Leone Police for their efforts to maintain national stability.
During the engagement, Muezzinoglu announced that TiKA has established an operational office in Freetown, indicating a commitment to deeper involvement in a range of development and capacity-building initiatives. He emphasised that human resource development is an essential component of progress in any sector, including security, and described the specialised training opportunities that are available to support that commitment.
He stated that the Turkish Police have provided training in over 100 specialised modules. The TiKA delegation presented this catalogue of options to the SLP leadership, inviting the force to select the courses that were most relevant to its needs and to express interest in implementing the partnership. Umut Sasmaz was a member of Muezzinoglu’s delegation.
IGP Sellu accepted the offer, emphasising the importance of capacity building as a key component of institutional effectiveness. He emphasised that improving human capital is inextricably linked to the government’s “Human Capital Development” initiative, which is one of President Bio’s top priorities. Sellu praised Sierra Leone and Turkey’s long-standing relationship, as well as TiKA’s support for police professional development.
Sellu reflected on his tenure, recalling that when he took office three years ago, he identified human capital gaps as a major challenge for the force. He stated that his interactions with diplomatic partners have consistently emphasised the importance of improving personnel competency in order for the SLP to comply with international best practices and professional standards. The IGP highlighted how the nature of crime has changed during his three decades in office, with previously non-existent or marginal areas like cybercrime, forensics, and human trafficking becoming central to modern policing demands.
“In policing, if you are not trained, you will fall behind,” Sellu said, emphasising the importance of continuous training to stay current on new threats and investigative techniques. He thanked TiKA for the proposal and promised the delegation a prompt response as the SLP reviewed and chose the modules most relevant to its strategic needs.
