The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has introduced legislation to create a dedicated State Protection Service (SPS), a new security unit tasked exclusively with protecting the President, Vice President, former leaders, and other “designated VIPs.”
Report confirms that the proposal is the centrepiece of the newly drafted National Security and Central Intelligence Act, 2025, which was introduced to Parliament last Thursday by the Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh.
According to the government, the specialised unit will also be responsible for securing critical state facilities.
The Chief Minister argued that the creation of the SPS is a necessary response to evolving national security threats that surpass the capabilities of traditional policing and military units. These emerging threats include cybercrime, violent extremism, insider intelligence leaks, and hybrid political disruptions.
Defending the bill, Dr. David Sengeh stated that the SPS is designed to strengthen existing security frameworks rather than replace them, noting that the country’s security architecture has already been forced to foil three coup attempts.
Chief Minister Sengeh emphasised the administration’s ongoing focus on making the country safer.
Despite the government’s push for the new protection unit, the bill faced immediate scepticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum, ultimately forcing Parliament to pause its advancement.
Following a robust debate, lawmakers flagged several potential issues with the proposed SPS, leading to a motion to send the bill to a legislative committee for deeper review.
Key issues raised during the session included vague definitions and scope, risk of politicisation, and inappropriate penalties.
The National Security and Cenrral Intelligence Act, 2025 is intended to repeal and replace the 2023 version of the law. It currently remains with the legislative committee for further scrutiny and structural revisions before it can proceed to a final vote.
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