President Julius Maada Bio has raised concerns over security at his official residence after a thief reportedly scaled the perimeter fence and entered the State House kitchen, making away with rice.
The President revealed the incident while addressing members of the Presidential Guard Force and staff during an end-of-year dinner, describing the theft of rice as evidence of a serious security breakdown rather than a minor incident.
According to President Bio, the intruder was able to bypass all security barriers, including climbing the fence and accessing the kitchen, where the rice was stolen. Although he dismissed the intruder as a petty thief, the President stressed that the ease with which the individual gained access to the premises was alarming.
He noted that if the intruder’s intention had gone beyond stealing rice, the consequences could have been far more severe, as access to the building had already been achieved.
The incident, he said, pointed to negligence and a failure by those tasked with protecting the residence.
President Bio reminded the guards that their responsibility goes beyond preventing theft, emphasizing that even the loss of food items such as rice within the State House compound signals dangerous vulnerabilities in security.
He warned that protecting the nation’s leadership requires constant alertness and discipline, noting that adversaries often exploit small lapses.
He therefore directed that any future breaches, no matter how trivial they may appear, should be treated with seriousness.
While expressing disappointment over the rice theft, the President also acknowledged the efforts and sacrifices of the Presidential Guard Force over the year.
He urged them to uphold the highest standards of vigilance, stressing that lapses, even those resulting in the theft of something as ordinary as rice — cannot be overlooked.
