In the quiet neighborhood of Sarah Lane, Goderich, the afternoon of August 24 felt ordinary—until it wasn’t.
As Sierra Leone’s Western Rural District simmered with the tension of the fiercely contested by-election in Constituency 110, 22-year-old Tounkara Conteh was at home, far removed from the polling chaos. He had no role in the day’s vote between SLPP’s Josephine Jackson and APC’s Kadie Davis. Yet, according to eyewitnesses and those closest to him, that distinction didn’t matter.
A group of men—described by locals as aggressive and coordinated—stormed the area in broad daylight. They headed straight for Conteh’s residence, seized the young opposition activist, and bundled him into a waiting vehicle, neighbors who watched the scene unfold, recall the moment vividly: “They came looking specifically for Tounkara. They grabbed him, forced him inside the car, and fled. They were heavily armed and no one dared getting close” a neighbor who requested anonymity told us.
Conteh serves as the youngest zonal chairman for the Alliance Democratic Party (ADP), Known for his tireless work in grassroots advocacy—pushing for transparency, accountability, and youth participation—he had become a promising voice challenging the status quo. His friend Ishmael Dumbuyaya insists the abduction was no random act. “Tounkara wasn’t anywhere near the election violence. He was targeted because of who he is: an active, outspoken member of the opposition,” Dumbuyaya told reporters. “This wasn’t about the by-election itself—it was about silencing someone who refuses to stay quiet.”
The alleged perpetrators belong to what many in Sierra Leone call the “Sojah Team”—a shadowy squard of young men frequently linked to SLPP supporters. Over time, the group has drawn accusations of partisan intimidation, harassments, and disrupting opposition activities, especially around elections periods. While these claims remain unproven in court for this incident, they form part of a troubling pattern that opposition figures say threatens democratic space.
Back at Sarah Lane, panic set in quickly. Conteh’s Father, Mr Sallu Conteh, a religious cleric raced to find his son. He claimed to have checked every possible place of interest from Goderich Police Station to East-End Police. At each stop, the answer was the same—nothing. No record. No sign of his boy and sign to help either.
“I searched everywhere,” Mr. Sallu said, his voice heavy with exhaustion and grief. “But he was nowhere.”
For Conteh’s mother, Mrs. Yayah, the silence has been unbearable. Days passed with no word, no contact, no official explanation. Through tears, she shared her deepest
fear: “I’m terrified they’ve hurt him… that he’s been killed.” In tears ” my son will call me everyday on phone if he is not around, he has never been silent like this” she added.
The family has since turned to the media and public, issuing an urgent appeal to the government, security forces, and fellow citizens: Help bring Tounkara home safely.
As of now, Conteh remains missing. Police have offered no public comment, leaving a vacuum filled with growing concern among activists, friends, and ordinary Sierra Leoneans who see this case as emblematic of deeper issues—where political loyalty can too easily translate into unchecked power, and where young voices daring to speak out face real danger.
“In a nation still healing from past divisions that led to a decade long bloody civil war, stories like Tounkara’s should remind everyone that the peace we are enjoying less than two decades ago is gradually been put to test again” an activist shared.
The search continues—not just for one young promising man, but for answers that protect everyone who believes in a free, fairer Sierra Leone.
Anyone with information is urged to come forward. A family waits. A community watches and AYV is here to inform as it unfolds.
