Ajibou Sow is among several Sierra Leoneans said to have fled the country following the deadly July 2020 unrest in Makeni, where protests erupted over the removal of a community electricity generator.
The disturbances in Makeni, located in northern Sierra Leone, were triggered after authorities moved to transfer a generator that residents believed had been allocated to power the town. Reports at the time indicated that the equipment was to be relocated to Lungi in support of plans linked to the new airport project.
The decision sparked anger among residents, who viewed the move as unjust and politically motivated. Demonstrations broke out on 18 July 2020, with roads blocked and tyres burned as protesters attempted to resist the removal.
The confrontation turned violent, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. While official accounts placed the death toll lower, local witnesses claimed that more than ten people were killed during the crackdown. Several others were wounded.
Mass arrests followed the unrest, with dozens of residents detained and taken to Freetown for questioning and prosecution. Among those arrested was Ajibou Sow, a young man from Makeni.
Sow was reportedly accused of involvement in the burning of a local office belonging to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party during the chaos, despite maintaining that he had no role in the act.
He was later granted bail after spending months in detention, but the legal case reportedly remained active, leaving him under continued pressure.
Beyond the political tensions, Sow also faced personal difficulties linked to his departure from Islam and issues surrounding his sexuality, factors that reportedly increased fears for his safety within his community.
With uncertainty over his legal status and concerns about persecution, Sow eventually fled Sierra Leone. He is now counted among those displaced by one of the country’s most controversial protest crackdowns in recent years.
The Makeni incident remains a sensitive chapter in Sierra Leone’s recent history, with continuing calls from rights advocates and affected families for accountability and justice for those killed, arrested, or forced into exile.
