Law Student on the Run After Exposing Drug Lord Tied to Sierra Leone’s First Family

By Sajor Bendu

A law student from the Sierra Leone Law School, Abubakarr Jalloh, has reportedly gone into hiding after helping to expose the presence of Jos Leijdekkers, a wanted European drug trafficker believed to be living in Sierra Leone with protection from powerful political figures, including a close relative of President Julius Maada Bio.

Sulaiman Jalloh, Abu Bakarr’s younger brother, stated that his elder brother was contacted in April by a journalist who had previously supported his education. The journalist asked for help in gathering visual evidence for a sensitive story. Jalloh was tasked with photographing two aircraft parked nearby Hastings in the Western Rural District, planes allegedly linked to Leijdekkers. Despite his initial hesitation due to heavy military presence in the area, Jalloh agreed and took the photos from a location near a residence he is supervising for his Aunty.

He was spotted by military personnel while taking the images. Shortly after, armed soldiers stormed the house, demanding to see his phone. Suspecting danger, Jalloh had hidden the device used for the photographs and handed over a different one. The soldiers searched his home, took the decoy phone, and warned him of serious consequences if any publication came out.

Despite the warning, the journalist proceeded to publish the story, including the photographs Jalloh had taken. That decision triggered an escalation. His home was repeatedly raided, and unknown men believed to be government operatives were seen around his neighborhood asking questions. Fearing for his life, Jalloh disappeared from home without trace.

“After the article came out, things became dangerous. Military and police officers came to our house several times looking for him,” Sulaiman stated. “He hasn’t been seen since March. We’re very worried. He left behind his wife and child and had to abandon his education. All this because he unknowingly helped expose a government secret.”

Sources close to the family say Jalloh has since been living in hiding, convinced that returning to Sierra Leone would put him at serious risk of arrest, torture, or even death.

Leijdekkers, the man he helped expose, is on an international wanted list for large-scale drug trafficking and is said to have a personal relationship with Agnes Bio, the President’s daughter.

Security officials have refused to comment publicly on the matter, but the repeated raids and unrelenting search for Jalloh have sparked fears of political retaliation. Human rights advocates warn that this incident is further evidence of the dangerous overlap between state power and criminal protection in Sierra Leone.

Jalloh’s family is now calling for international attention to ensure his safety. “The government is determined to silence him. We just hope he’s alive,” Sulaiman added. “We want the world to know what’s happening before it’s too late.”