Sierra Leone buys 10,000 AK 47s and other weapons

According to these unverified documents that surfaced on Facebook last week, the Government of Sierra Leone has plans to procure “arms, ammunition, and demolition store for use by the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) for the defense of its territorial integrity”.

The weapons listed include 10,000 Ak47s, 1000 9mm pistols, several thousand different types of bombs, 300 machine guns and more.

At this moment we can not confirm that the weapons list on the two pages are indeed part of the letter that bear the seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However if indeed the government is buying weapons, it is a cause for concern for some.

Whilst it is well within the government’s rights to procure arms and ammunition one can’t help to ask why now? Why this April? Why does the government feel the need to purchase these items right now? Shouldn’t social services, like health, education, and business growth take precedence at the moment?