Freetown-18th September, 2026
All community and School football activities have been banned until proper modalities are put in place to regulate the game’s activities to minimize the seeming rampant youth violence associated with football activities, and other youth related violence activities across the country.
This is the key resolution that came out of a meeting held on Wednesday 16th September, 2026, at the Conference Room of the Office of National Security (ONS), to discuss the growing youth lawlessness across the country. The National Security Coordinator (NS Coord) and Head of the ONS, Abdulai Caulker summoned the meeting of key stakeholders representing the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) vested with the responsibility of addressing youth violence and football activities in the country.
Mr. Caulker called the meeting based on growing concerns over youth violence linked to sporting activities, reflecting a growing disrespect for the law and state security. He cited the youth violence activities that have been recorded in places like Mattru Jong, Sierra Rutile, Waterloo, and recently at Kroo Town Road, in Freetown. “The use of offensive weapons and the increasing boldness of perpetrators pose a serious threat to the safety of security personnel, public order and national security”, the NSCoord said in the letter inviting stakeholders to the meeting.
Chaired by the Chief of Staff of ONS Francis Langumba Keili, on behalf of the NS Coord, the meeting brought together representatives from the Sierra Leone Police, the ONS, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Central Intelligence and Security Agency, the National Youth Commission, the Sierra Leone Football Association, the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Sports Authorities. Mr. Keili welcomed the participants to the ONS and relayed the NS Coord’s concerns over the recent youth violence across the country, its effects on national security, and the need for having such a meeting to discuss the issue.
The participants disused the issues surrounding youth violence frankly and lengthily and came up with key resolutions. The other outcomes of the meeting are that a technical committee comprising representatives, each from the aforementioned MDAs has been constituted to develop rules and regulations on community and school football leagues/competitions-before the ban is lifted. The third regulation was to conduct sustained awareness raising campaigns on the effects of youth violence across the Western Area.
#Stratcom, ONS
www.ons.gov.sl
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