The Evolution Of RSLAF: A History Of 125 Years

PART 1
On Monday, 23rd December, 2024, the Commander-in-Chief of Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and Chairman of Defence Council, Brigadier-General (Retired) Julius Maada Bio, who is also the President of Sierra Leone, made some KEY APPOINTMENTS in both the command and staff structures of the Armed Forces.
In the staff structure, Brigadier-General Sahr David Thomas Ngaujah was appointed as Chief of General Staff (COGS). He is responsible to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and he is in charge of COORDINATING all ADMINISTRATIVE, OPERATIONAL, LOGISTICS, TRAINING and OTHER ISSUES of the ARMY, NAVY and AIR FORCE as directed by the CDS.
In the command structure, Brigadier-General Kemoh Tewoh Sesay was appointed as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He is also responsible to the CDS, and he is the Head of Sierra Leone Army (SLA). Similarly, Captain (Navy) Lawrence Kapina Jabati was also appointed as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). He is, as well, responsible to the CDS, and he is the Head of Sierra Leone Navy (SLN). Earlier, in 2022 Group Captain Hassan Sei Coomber was promoted to Air Commodore and appointed Chief of Air Staff (CAS). Like the COAS and CNS, the CAS is NOW responsible to the CDS, and he is the Head of Sierra Leone Air Force (SLAF).
All the three distinct Services, namely, the SLA, SLN and SLAF make up the RSLAF, whose overall Commander is the CDS. Currently, Major-General Amara Idara Bangura holds the post.
Major-General Bangura was appointed as CDS on 19th November, 2024 following the retirement of the former CDS, Lieutenant-General Peter Kakowou Lavahun. The former CDS was retired alongside the former Commander Joint Force (CJF), Major-General Fred Dauda Alpha; the former Chief of Staff of Ministry of Defence, Major-General Chris Fayim Marah; the former Commander of the then Sierra Leone Maritime Wing (SLMW), Commodore Philip Jesbert Juana and other 68 officers ranging from the rank of Lieutenant to Colonel.
The recent appointments of the COGS, COAS and CNS marked the DISESTABLISHMENT of the post-war JOINT FORCE structure and paved the way for the TRI SERVICES structure, which is provided for in Section 165 (1) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991.
The Joint Force structure (which was an Army-led structure) was established in 2002 on the advice of the International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT). It was part of the restructuring process of the Armed Forces. The said structure FUSED the three Services of the Armed Forces (the Army, Navy and Air Force) under a single command known as the Joint Force Command (JFC). Hence, the appointment of CJF was created to head the JFC structure.
Under the army-led structure, the CJF was the Head of the Army and had direct COMMAND and CONTROL over the Heads of the Navy (then known as Sierra Leone Maritime Wing or SLMW) and the Air Force (then known as Sierra Leone Air Wing or SLAW). At first, the CJF was the number 3 man after the CDS and the Deputy CDS. Later on, the CJF became the number 2 man following the disestablishment of the Office of Deputy CDS.
With the recent DISESTABLISHMENT of the Joint Force structure, Major-General Fred Dauda Alpha has been written down in history as the last CJF. His predecessors were as follows:
(1). Brigadier-General Edwin Sam M’bomah (CJF 2002-2003).
(2). Brigadier-General Mohamed Ali Sesay (CJF 2003-2004).
(3). Brigadier-General Robert Yira Koroma (CJF 2004-2008).
(4). Brigadier-General Samuel Omar Williams (CJF 2008-2011).
(5). Brigadier-General Mohamed Ali Sesay (CJF 2011-2012).
(6). Brigadier-General John Edson Milton (CJF 2012-2013).
(7). Brigadier-General Brima Sesay (CJF 2013-2015).
(8). Major-General Mohamed Mamadi Keita (CJF 2015-2016).
(9). Major-General Brima Sesay (CJF 2016-2017).
(10). Major-General Sullay Ibrahim Sesay (CJF 2017-2020).
(11). Major-General Peter Kakowou Lavahun (CJF 2020-2022).
With regards the ESTABLISHMENT of the tri services structure, the Heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force will NOW operate SEPARATELY and INDEPENDENTLY subject to the command and control of the CDS.
The Office of Chief of General Stafff (COGS) has been also created in order to co-ordinate the administrative, operational, logistics, training, and other issues of the three Services. Brigadier-General Ngaujah, who was serving as Acting Director-General of Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS), has been appointed to the post.
The principal function of RSLAF is to guard and secure the TERRITORIAL SOVEREIGNTY of Sierra Leone. This function is provided for in Section 165 (2) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991.
Sierra Leone’s territorial sovereignty covers the LANDSPACE, WATERSPACE and AIRSPACE. The said territorial sovereignty is CLEARLY defined in the FIRST SCHEDULE of the Constitution of Sierra Leone aforesaid.
Pursuant to Section 165 (1) of the 1991 Constitution, the three Services of the Armed Forces are SEPARATELY and INDEPENDENTLY obliged to guard and secure the three distinctive areas of Sierra Leone’s territorial sovereignty. Hence, the Sierra Leone Army (SLA) is responsible for the country’s LANDSPACE, the Sierra Leone Navy (SLN) in control of the WATERSPACE and the Sierra Leone Air Force (SLAF) in charge of the AIRSPACE.
The Armed Forces of Sierra Leone has EVOLVED since 1900 (125 years ago). First known as Sierra Leone Regiment (SLR), the colonial infantry battalion was one of the four military units that formed up West African Frontier Force (WAFF). The other military units of WAFF were from the colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast (now Ghana) and the Gambia.
The West Africa multi-colonial military force, which comprised the four English-speaking colonies in the sub-region, was formed up to guard and secure the British colonies against foreign influence and aggression.
In 1928, WAFF received royal recognition due to its exemplary roles in several military campaigns including the First World War (WW1). Subsequently, WAFF was renamed as Royal West Africa Frontier Force (RWAFF).
During the WW1 from 1914-1918, the Sierra Leone Battalion under the auspices of WAFF, was sent to German Kamerun (now Cameroun) to defeat the German troops. As a result of that defeat, the German colony was seized and administered as Trust Territory by both France and Britain. This is why present-day Cameroun is a BILINGUAL country.
During the Second World War (WW2) from 1939-1945, the Sierra Leone Battalion (which had been renamed as Royal Sierra Leone Regiment or RSLR in 1928) was deployed in Burma (now Myanmar) in South-east Asia to pursue the Japanese troops.
The sub-regional British colonial military force existed until it was DISESTABLISHED in 1960. This was a period when the British colonies of Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Gambia were also moving towards self-governance. Earlier, Ghana had withdrawn from RWAFF and established her own national military force immediately after her Independence in 1957.
On 27th April 1961, Sierra Leone also gained her Independence. Hence, the Royal Sierra Leone Regiment (RSLR) was renamed as Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF).
The post-Independence military force had a single structure. It was entirely an Army. There was neither Navy nor Air Force. During this period, the British-born Brigadier-General RD Blackie, who had been appointed in 1957 as Force Commander for the RSLR, still served in the same capacity for the renamed Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF).
Brigadier-General Blackie became the last British Force Commander. However, in 1962, he was replaced by the Brigadier-General David Lansana, who became the first Sierra Leonean to head the country’s post-Independence military force.
In 1967, Brigadier-General Lansana was replaced as Force Commander by Colonel Augustine Charles Blake following a COUNTER-COUP against Brigadier-General Lansana.
Brigadier-General David Lansana staged the FIRST MILITARY COUP on 21st March 1967 against the then newly sworn-in Prime Minister, Dr Siaka Probyn Stevens after the outcome of the controversial general elections was announced on 17th March, 1967.
On the instruction of Brigadier-General Lansana, Sierra Leone’s future National Co-ordinator of the Civil Defence Force (CDF) and Special Court indictee, Captain Samuel Hinga Norman arrested and detained the Prime Minister, Dr Stevens; and the Governor-General, Sir Henry Lightfoot Boston. Captain Norman was, at the time, serving as Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to the Governor-General.
Forty-eight hours after Brigadier-General Lansana’s coup, three Majors, namely, Major Augustine Charles Blake, Major Sandy Bockarie Jumu and Major Idrissa Bockarie Kai-samba staged the COUNTER-COUP on 23rd March 1967 against Brigadier-General Lansana. The coup makers formed the National Reformation Council (NRC) and appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Juxon Smith as their Leader and Head of State. Major Blake was promoted to the rank of Colonel and became Force Commander. He has been written down in history as the first-ever Colonel to serve as Head of the country’s military force.
In 1968, Colonel Blake was replaced as Force Commander by Brigadier-General John Amadu Bangura after ANOTHER MILITARY COUP, which was popularly known as the SERGEANTS’ COUP.
Two Warrant Officers, whose appointments were apparently Company Sergeant Majors staged the said coup on 18th April, 1968 against Colonel Blake’s NRC. The Warrant Officers were Patrick Conteh and Emadu Rogers. The coup makers formed the Anti-Corruption Revolutionary Movement (ACRM) and handed over the ACRM leadership to Brigadier-General John Amadu Bangura, who speedily dissolved the ACRM and formed the National Interim Council (NIC).
On 26th April, 1968 (eight days after the Sergeants’ Coup), Brigadier-General Bangura reinstated the deposed Prime Minister, Dr Stevens. Thereafter, Brigadier-General Bangura was appointed as Force Commander.
On 19th April, 1971, Sierra Leone became a Republic. Hence, the word ‘Royal’ was removed from the name Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces and replaced with the word ‘Republic’. Thus, the country’s military force was again renamed as Republic of Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF).
In 1971, Brigadier-General John Amadu Bangura was replaced as Force Commander after stagging AN ABORTIVE MILITARY COUP on 23rd March, 1971 against the reinstated Prime Minister, Dr Stevens. The coup took place less than a month before Sierra Leone became a Republic and Dr Stevens was crowned as the first Executive President.
Importantly, Sierra Leone’s future rebel leader and Special Court indictee, Corporal Foday Saybana Sankoh was also implicated in the said coup.
While Corporal Sankoh was jailed for seven years, Brigadier-General Bangura was executed alongside three others on 29th June, 1971.
Brigadier-General John Amadu Bangura became the first Head of the country’s military force to be executed for complicity in a coup.
The second was Brigadier-General David Lansana. He was executed alongside 14 others on 19th July, 1975 in connection with the 1974 COUP ATTEMPT against President Dr Siaka Probyn Stevens. Brigadier-General Lansana was extradited from neighboring Liberia, where he had sought refuge. It was the second time that Brigadier-General Lansana was prosecuted for involvement in a military coup. First, between 1968 and 1970 Brigadier-General Lansana was tried and sentenced to death with regards the 1967 military coup. However, the verdict and penalty of the said trial were OVERTURNED on appeal.
The third was Brigadier-General Hassan Kellie Conteh. He was executed alongside 23 others on 19th October, 1998 for complicity in the 1997 military coup against President Ahmad Tajan Kabbah.
For the record, Lieutenant-Colonel Sorie Francis Yerima Koroma, who was unlawfully appointed as CDS by the illegal Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) military junta, was also executed alongside Brigadier-General Hassan Kellie Conteh on the same date in connection with the same coup.
After Brigadier-General Bangura’s 1971 military coup, Sierra Leone’s future President, Brigadier-General Joseph Saidu Momoh was appointed as Force Commander. Brigadier-General Momoh later rose to the rank of Major-General, making him the first military commander to hold such rank. He served until 1985 when he succeeded Dr Siaka Probyn Stevens as President. Major-General Momoh served as Force Commander for 14 years, also making him the first-ever longest serving Head of the country’s military force.
In 1979, under the military leadership of Major-General Momoh, the Sierra Leone Navy (SLN) was established to guard and secure the country’s waterspace. This was the first move towards the future tri services structure of the Armed Forces. Commodore Alimamy Bobson Sesay was appointed to command the then newly established SLN. Commodore Sesay remained in the appointment until 2000.
TO BE CONTINUED
By Major Yayah Brima, Media Operations Officer, Army Headquarters, Cockerill Barracks, Freetown.
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