Yahya Kanu
Encyclopedia
Colonel Yahya Kanu Kanu was a loyalist to president Joseph Saidu Momoh
, and his position in the coup is unclear. He was first reported by Reuters
to have led the coup, but that same day he went onto the BBC's Focus on Africa to deny that role, claiming instead that he was attempting to negotiate with the mutineers. He was imprisoned by Valentine Strasser
, who eventually took power in the coup. Kanu was later executed by Solomon Musa,Julius Maada Bio and other junta members on a beach near Freetown, after being accused of organizing a counter-coup with All People's Congress
supporter Bambay Kamara. The pair were at the time interred in the Pademba Road jail in Freetown
.
The British-trained Kanu had won a reputation as one of the most dynamic battlefront commanders during the war that broke out when Revolutionary United Front
rebels of Foday Sankoh
crossed into Sierra Leone in 1991 from part of Liberia under the control of then Liberian rebel leader Charles Taylor. After the rebels approached the eastern Sierra Leone city of Kenema
in mid-1991, they were pushed back by Kanu's Cobra battalion with the help of Liberian irregular forces, mostly refugees from Samuel Doe
's army, who went on to become a component of ULIMO. The combined force quickly routed the rebels from the towns of Gandorhun and Zimmi before reaching the Mano River Bridge crossing into Liberia. These gains were lost later in the war as control of towns frequently changed hands, something that battlefront soldiers often blamed on a lack of resources from Freetown. This was a major factor contributing to the 1992 coup.
Joseph Saidu Momoh
Major General Joseph Saidu Momoh was the President of Sierra Leone from November, 1985 to April 29, 1992.- Biography :...
, and his position in the coup is unclear. He was first reported by Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
to have led the coup, but that same day he went onto the BBC's Focus on Africa to deny that role, claiming instead that he was attempting to negotiate with the mutineers. He was imprisoned by Valentine Strasser
Valentine Strasser
Valentine Esegragbo Melvine Strasser served as head of state of Sierra Leone from 1992 to 1996. He had been a junior military officer but in 1992, he became the world's youngest Head of State when he seized power three days after his 25th birthday...
, who eventually took power in the coup. Kanu was later executed by Solomon Musa,Julius Maada Bio and other junta members on a beach near Freetown, after being accused of organizing a counter-coup with All People's Congress
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
supporter Bambay Kamara. The pair were at the time interred in the Pademba Road jail in Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
.
The British-trained Kanu had won a reputation as one of the most dynamic battlefront commanders during the war that broke out when Revolutionary United Front
Revolutionary United Front
The Revolutionary United Front was a rebel army that fought a failed eleven-year war in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. It later developed into a political party, which existed until 2007...
rebels of Foday Sankoh
Foday Sankoh
Foday Saybana Sankoh was the leader and founder of the Sierra Leone rebel group Revolutionary United Front in the 11-year-long Sierra Leone Civil War, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002...
crossed into Sierra Leone in 1991 from part of Liberia under the control of then Liberian rebel leader Charles Taylor. After the rebels approached the eastern Sierra Leone city of Kenema
Kenema
Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Eastern Province with a population of 128,402 in the 2004 census and a more recent estimate of 169,937...
in mid-1991, they were pushed back by Kanu's Cobra battalion with the help of Liberian irregular forces, mostly refugees from Samuel Doe
Samuel Doe
Samuel Kanyon Doe was the 21st President of Liberia, serving from 1986 until his assassination in 1990. He had previously served as Chairman of the People's Redemption Council from 1980 to 1986. He was the first indigenous head of state in Liberian history.Doe was a part of a rural tribe in inland...
's army, who went on to become a component of ULIMO. The combined force quickly routed the rebels from the towns of Gandorhun and Zimmi before reaching the Mano River Bridge crossing into Liberia. These gains were lost later in the war as control of towns frequently changed hands, something that battlefront soldiers often blamed on a lack of resources from Freetown. This was a major factor contributing to the 1992 coup.