On the 19th November 2024, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), Brigadier-General Julius Maada Bio (Retired), appointed Major-General Amara Idara Bangura as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of RSLAF.
The appointment of Two-Star General Bangura followed the retirement of Lieutenant-General Peter Kakowou Lavahun, who was appointed as CDS after the bloody insurrection on 10th August, 2022 in which several police officers were brutally killed in some parts of the country. On 26th November, 2024, Major-General Bangura was decorated with his new rank by the President and Commander-in-Chief. Major-General Bangura also subscribed to Oath of Office during the Decoration Ceremony held at State House.
While decorating the new CDS, President Bio congratulated and assured him of his support. “As your Commander-in-Chief, I will always be here to support you in advancing professionalism, supporting welfare and improving capabilities of RSLAF”, President Bio assured.
On 5th December, 2024, Major-General Amara Idara Bangura officially took over the mantle of leadership as the 23rd Head of RSLAF from Three-Star General Lavahun (Retired).
VI. On Friday, 14th March, 2025, Major-General Bangura marked his 100th Day in office as CDS. Within this brief spell of his leadership, Major-General Bangura has pioneered a number of impressive developments with the support of the President and Commander-in-Chief. These impressive developments include:
VII. Fast-tracking of Donation of Brand New Military Hardware to RSLAF Since he was appointed as CDS, Major-General Bangura has placed the plan to equip the Armed Forces for both national and international operations on the list of his major priorities. Through the Government, Major-General Bangura has recently fast-tracked the donation of brand new military hardware to RSLAF. The military machinery and equipment, which worth about Ten Million United States Dollars (US$ 10,000,000) were donated by African Union (AU). These military hardware are meant to enhance RSLAF’s efforts to participate in peace support operations in the world. The AU gifted military machinery and equipment include armoured infantry carrier vehicles, armoured ambulance, military protective assault vehicles, troop varrying vehicles, heavy duty cargo trucks, water and fuel bowsers, SUV jeeps, military combat jeeps, forklifts et cetera.
VIII. Creation of Job Opportunities for Youths – Moreover, with the support of the Government, Major-General Bangura has just completed the recruitment of a total of 1,040 Sierra Leonean youths into the Armed Forces. This is the highest recruitment conducted following the end of the bloody Civil War in 2002. These youths, who are drawn from all the regions of the country, were meritoriously enlisted into RSLAF on Tuesday, 25th March, 2025 after undergoing a rigorous recruitment and selection process, which began in January this year. These youths commenced their various trainings on Monday, 31st March, 2025 at National Defence Training Academy (NDTA) at Benguema (for the recruits) and Peace Mission Training Centre (PMTC) at Hastings (for the cadets). Over 5,000 had applied for the recruitment. However, out of the 1,040 applicants that were successful, 951 have been enlisted as recruits and 89 as cadets.
IX. Rehabilitation of Recruit and Cadet Training Facilities – While the recruitment and selection process was ongoing, Major-General Bangura simultaneously embarked on rehabilitation of the dilapidated training facilities at National Defence Training Academy (NDTA) at Benguema and Peace Mission Training Centre (PMTC) at Hastings. The NDTA and PMTC are the main training centers, where the 1,040 successful applicants will be trained for a period of nine months. The rehabilitated training facilities include the accommodation buildings for recruits, cadets and instructors, the ablution facility, the dinning halls, kitchens, the classrooms, the central lecture hall known as Kabbah Hall (named after former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah), the safe drinking water facility etc.
X. Re-construction of Presidential Pavilion and Drill Square – Besides, Major-General Bangura has also embarked on re-construction of the Presidential Pavilion and the Drill Square at National Defence Training Academy (NDTA) at Benguema, where the Passing-Out Parade and Commissioning Ceremony of the recruits and the cadets will be held after the completion of their trainings at the end of this year. Additionally, a new pavilion is also being constructed adjacent the Presidential Pavilion. When completed, these two pavilions and the circumference of the Drill Square will host a maximum of 3000 invitees and onlookers during the said Ceremony.
XI. Re-construction of Roads in Military Barracks – Immediately after he was appointed as CDS, Major-General Bangura commenced the reconstruction of all the death-trap roads in Murray Town and Wilberforce Barracks. In Murray Town Barracks, the reconstruction of the main road (a distance of almost 1km) is complete. However, in Wilberforce Barracks, the re-construction of a total of 3km roads is ongoing.XII.
Provision of Safe Drinking Water Facility – In addition to the re-construction of the death-trap roads, Major-General Bangura further embarked on construction of several boreholes in Juba, Murray Town and Wilberforce Barracks so as to provide safe drinking water facility for the military personnel and their families. Over the years, the lack of such facility in the Barracks has resulted to many negative consequences and abuse to the children, who were the ones usually sent out at mid-night to fetch water from the nearby communities.
XIII. Construction of Recreational Facility for Military Personnel – Major-General Bangura is relentlessly continuing with the construction of a modern Squash House at Myohaung Officers Mess in Wilberforce Barracks. The Squash House is one of the recreational facilities that the CDS intends to leave behind as legacy at the end of his tenure. The new Squash House provides for two Squad Courts with standard modern equipment.
XIV. Provision of Town Service Buses for Military Personnel-Furthermore, immediately after his appointment as CDS, Major-General Bangura sanctioned the utilization of two buses for the purpose of town service at free cost. These buses would facilitate the authorized movement of military personnel within Freetown during working hours. While one bus has been assigned to cover the Central-to-East-End axis, the other has been deployed to operate along the Central-to-West-End axis. This facility adds to the troop collection vehicles, which are also provided on working days to carry military personnel from their homes to workplaces and vice versa.
XV. Acquisition of Lands for Aquatic and Cashew Farmings – In his quest to support the Government’s Feed Salone Project, Major-General Bangura has secured 150 acres of land at Bumpeh in Gao Chiefdom, Bo District for the purpose of aquatic (fish) farming. Besides, he has also acquired 4,000 hectares of land in Port Loko, Kambia and Tonkolili Districts for the purpose of cashew farming.
XVI. Distribution of Motor Bikes for Border Control Operations and Intelligence Gathering – Furthermore, with the support of the Government, Major-General Bangura has secured a total of 50 motor bikes for the enhancement of border control operations and intelligence gathering.
XVII. Increment of Funeral Support to Bereaved Families of Deceased Military Personnel Before he was appointed as CDS, the RSLAF Funeral Support to the bereaved families of deceased military personnel was fixed at the sum of Eight Hundred and Twenty Leones (Le 820) with one bag of rice. However, following his appointment, Major-General Bangura has increased the support to the sum of Twelve Thousand Leones (Le 12,000) with three bags of rice. Besides, there are other areas of support that RSLAF extends to the bereaved families. These areas of support include the preservation of the corpse of deceased personnel in the mogue, the provision of vehicles for the funeral ceremony of the Personnel, the payment of the salary of the deceased personnel to the bereaved family for a period of six months, the occupation of the married quarters by the wife and children of the deceased personnel for a period of six months et cetera.
XVIII. Increment of Marriage Assistance – Similarly, Major-General Bangura has also increased the amount of RSLAF Marriage Assistance from the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Leones (Le 250) to the sum of Five Thousand Leones (Le 5,000). Besides, there are other areas of assistance that a military personnel (who satisfies the requirements stipulated in the RSLAF Marriage Policy) further enjoys with regards his or her marriage ceremony.
XIX. Allocation of Fuel to Brigade and Battalion Sergeant Majors – This is one of the laudable initiatives of Major-General Bangura. For the first time in the history of RSLAF, a quantum of fuel has been allocated, for administrative purposes, to each and every Brigade Sergeant Major (BSM) and Regiment Sergeant Major (RSM). Ten percent (10%) of the Brigade or Battalion’s fuel quota has now been allocated to the BSMs and RSMs, who are responsible to check on discipline, dress-code and sanitation in military barracks.
XX. Development of National Defence Policy and Strategy – Furthermore, immediately after his appointment as CDS, Major-General Bangura developed the first-ever National Defence Policy and Strategy. This Document outlines Sierra Leone’s defence priorities. The Document also ensures that the country’s military strategy aligns with her national interest and her regional security dynamics.
XXI. Introduction of Veteran Bill Policy – Major-General Bangura has also introduced the Veteran Bill Policy that marks a significant step towards recognizing and honoring the sacrifices of Sierra Leone’s veterans.
XXII. Establishment of Defence Enterprise Services – Major-General Bangura has further established the Defence Enterprise Services that will consolidate and manage all RSLAF investments, which are separately handled by the Armed Forces Endowment and Loan Scheme (AFELS), the Engineering Corporation Company (ECC), Armed Forces Agricultural Unit (AFAU) and the Defence Tailoring Industry (DTI).
XXIII. Implementation of Tri-Service Structure and Establishment of Defence Headquarters – Major-General Bangura is currently rolling out the tri-service structure, which implementation was adopted in recent years by the Defence Council headed by the President and Commander-in-Chief. Hence, the various branches of the Armed Forces, namely the Sierra Leone Army (SLA), Sierra Leone Navy (SLN) and the Sierra Leone Air Force (SLAF) now operate under different commands. Moreover, Major-General Bangura has also established Defence Headquarters at Cockerill Barracks, which is now separate and distinct from the Ministry of Defence at Tower Hill.
