Why fear of xenophobic attacks being raised?
Like most other West African countries, we agree that drug trafficking is a challenge. These crimes are committed by Sierra Leoneans and non-Sierra Leoneans alike. We cannot pinpoint any particular set of people involved. So, the issue of xenophobia is a complete misinformation and misrepresentation of this noble exercise. Any ECOWAS citizen is permitted to stay, work and do business in Sierra Leone, so long as the stay is regular and he pays his taxes and does not run foul of the law. If you do commit a crime, the law will take its course. Of course, one of the best options is to send the person away. If you’re a criminal, we cannot keep you in our country. Obviously, there’s a complete misinterpretation of the issues. I don’t want to say people are becoming oversensitive because of what is happening in South Africa. But we in Sierra Leone are not bundling non-Sierra Leoneans in vehicles and sending them away. The immigration gave the foreigners the option to regularise their stay and
