IGP Sellu Leads Major Sanitation Exercise Across Freetown to Boost Public Health

In a proactive effort to improve urban hygiene and protect public health, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. William Fayia Sellu, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, led a large-scale sanitation exercise across several key locations in Freetown.

Accompanied by members of the Executive Management Board (EMB) and senior security officials, IGP Sellu joined personnel from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, and the National Fire Force in the citywide clean-up campaign. Staff of the Freetown City Council (FCC) also participated in the exercise.

The initiative was aimed at addressing the growing waste problem in the capital and clearing critical drainage channels ahead of the peak rainy season.

Areas targeted during the operation included Samba Gutter and Up Gun, Ferry Junction and East End Police, Fourah Bay Road and Goderich Street, Annie Walsh Corner, and the PZ business district. Personnel were seen sweeping streets, removing heaps of waste, clearing blocked gutters, and removing obstructions from busy intersections to ensure the free flow of both water and traffic.

Speaking to the media during the exercise, IGP Sellu stressed that although sanitation is not traditionally the responsibility of the police, the current environmental condition of the city demands urgent and collective intervention.

He noted that a clean environment is closely connected to public safety and effective community policing, adding that poor sanitation can contribute to flooding, health hazards, and security concerns.

The Police Chief further assured the public that the initiative would not be a one-time event, revealing plans by the Sierra Leone Police to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to organize similar sanitation exercises on a fortnightly basis.

IGP Sellu also called on the Freetown City Council to strictly enforce environmental bye-laws to discourage indiscriminate dumping of waste in streets, gutters, and drainage systems.

By taking the lead in the civic exercise, the security sector hopes to encourage citizens to take responsibility for their surroundings and contribute to building a cleaner, safer, and more resilient capital city.