
Mr. William Fayia Sellu, Inspector General of Police, is the 16th Inspector General of Police in the Republic of Sierra Leone since independence in 1961. The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is generally doing well and making professional progress. Harvesting opinions from people who were familiar with the activities of the police during the pre-war and war eras indicated that the SLP had improved significantly in attitude and in the practice of policing.

The majority of members of the public spoke with passion and attributed the transformation of the Sierra Leone Police to; contemporary capacity building of police personnel, an appreciable democratic system of governance within the country, and effective leadership within the Sierra Leone Police Force.
A 75-year-old man said that at least complainants at SLP stations across the country are no longer asked to buy paper and pens in order to obtain statements, suspects are no longer tortured to confess, and bail is free in Sierra Leone.

A former politician from one of the popular political parties in Sierra Leone said “the police used to be regarded as political thugs and instruments of oppression of the state”, but that has changed, and now they are considered “a force for good’ that ensures the safety and security of the people of Sierra Leone and visitors.
Afriqu Europ magazine discovered that there is a very high level of literacy amongst the ranks and files of the Sierra Leone Police Force, including PhD holders, a wide range of Masters and double Masters holders etc.
Another impressive finding revealed that personnel of the Sierra Leone police force with the rank of inspectors are at least Higher National Diploma holders. Ninety percent of police officers in charge of the Sierra Leone Police Stations are university graduates; all local unit commanders are at least Masters holders; and the Assistant Inspector Generals of the Sierra Leone Police are at least double Masters holders.

There is considerably a huge improvement under the current leadership of IGP Sellu on; humane treatment and addressing operational command issues within established procedures for internal discipline and morale, professionally dealing with lawlessness without discrimination, assurance of the general public of the SLP’s professionalism, personnel capacity building, and general commitment toward securing the safety of lives and properties across the geographical boundaries of Sierra Leone at all times.
It is on record that under the administration of Mr. William Fayia Sellu, the Sierra Leone Police Force was rated by the United Nations/Africa Union assessment team on a clear standing of 94% to take up the Formed Police Units (FPUs) duties in the Africa Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in 2023.

The professional leadership of the current Inspector General of Police made the Sierra Leone Police personnel in Somalia to be described as a very hard-working, dedicated team and the only police contingent that can boast of first-class, top-notch equipment.
Without any iota of sentiment, the excellent performance of IGP William Fayia Sellu was naturally and overwhelmingly unveiled in the year he enrolled in the Sierra Leone Police Force as a cadet officer after graduating from Njala University.

Findings of the Afriqu Europe Magazine are that, during the former position of Mr. Sellu as the Director of Crime Services at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Mr. Sellu made some solid professional adjustments to the CID that increased intelligence-led investigations to nip any crime in the bud.
Before his appointment as Director of Crimes Services, Mr. Sellu was appointed as Police Chief in the Southern Region of Sierra Leone in 2020, and he also served in Bo in 2016 and 2017 as a Local Unit Commander.

While in Bo, southern Sierra Leone, IGP Sellu was recognized and awarded as the first and only Regional Commander that made the Southern Region go for over a year without recording a single case of arm robbery.
IGP Sellu has academic and huge professional policing experience; having served for 11 years as Chief Security Officer during the administration of President Ahmad Tejan Kabba (late), his admirable qualities as a good leader and professional police officer catapulted him to serve as head of the Presidential Guards under current President Julius Maada Bio. The professional policing attributes of IGP Sellu, his academic status, coupled with his piousness, successfully landed him on the highest platform in the Sierra Leone Police to receive the appointment as the Inspector General of Police by the President, His Excellency, Dr. Rtd Brig. Julius Maada Bio, Republic of Sierra Leone.
IGP Sellu is described among personnel of the Sierra Leone Police as a battle-tested leader who has the experience and wealth of skills to tread tactically through difficult terrain and come out with positive results. His professional career is thorough, and his administration is strategically centered on teamwork, which has hugely impacted the SLP.
By statutory provision of Act No. 7 of 1964, the Inspector General of the Police is charged with the responsibility of the overall administrative management of the police force, exercises independent command over the Sierra Leone Police, and performs any other functions prescribed by national legislation.
Lokombe Nkalulu
Editor-in-Chief, Afriqu Europe Magazine