𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐬 ‘𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬’ 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

𝐁𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭

The Office of National Security (ONS) has categorically debunked a tabloid report implicating the National Security Coordinator, Abdulai Caulker, in a massive drug and cash concealment scandal.

Describing the report as completely baseless and a malicious figment of the writer’s imagination, top ONS officials confirmed that legal departments are already preparing to initiate litigation proceedings against the publishers.

The controversy erupted after a local tabloid published an “investigation” claiming that the ONS Boss interfered in a high-profile police operation. The article alleged that police had detained four foreign nationals, confiscated a substantial quantity of cocaine, and uncovered six suitcases filled with cash. It went on to claim that Caulker personally directed the release of the suspects, sending Presidential Guards and ONS officials to seize the narcotics and cash.

Reacting swiftly, the ONS stated that no such narcotics operation, suspect detention, or cash confiscation ever occurred within the jurisdiction. The security apparatus clarified that the entire storyline was manufactured to intentionally target the hard-earned reputation of the National Security Coordinator.

Media experts note that the publication represents a severe violation of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) Media Code of Practice. According to Section 1 of the IMC Code, newspapers are strictly mandated to verify the accuracy of their facts before printing. By inventing a complex narcotics operation without police records, physical evidence, or institutional verification, the tabloid completely bypassed basic journalistic ethics.

Furthermore, the publication directly ignored the IMC’s strict “Right to Reply” guideline. The tabloid failed to contact the ONS communications unit to give Abdulai Caulker an opportunity to respond to the allegations before going to print. Under IMC regulations, when a media house publishes unverified or defamatory information, it is legally obligated to issue an unconditional apology and retraction with equal prominence to the original story. Continued non-compliance exposes the tabloid to heavy financial penalties, suspension, or the permanent revocation of its operating license by the Commission.

Sources close to Tower Hill emphasize that the narrative directly contradicts Caulker’s established policy framework. Throughout his tenure, Caulker has maintained an uncompromising intolerance toward narcotics trafficking, substance abuse, and organized crime, working closely alongside the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“This is not investigative journalism,” an ONS communications representative stated off the record. “This is a coordinated effort to undermine the institutional credibility of Sierra Leone’s security architecture at a time when we are actively tightening regional border safety”.

The Office of National Security has signalled that it will not take this assault lying down. A formal refutation is only the first step. For the sake of media sanity