Foiled Coup Attempt Against NPRC Administration of Strasser in December 1992

In December 1992, a significant political event unfolded in Sierra Leone when an alleged coup attempt against the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) administration, led by Captain Valentine Strasser, was foiled. The coup was reportedly orchestrated with the intent to liberate several high-profile detainees, including Colonel Yahya Kanu, Lt-Colonel Kahota M.S. Dumbuya, and former Inspector-General of Police Bambay Kamara. The plot was primarily attributed to Sergeant Mohamed Lamin Bangura and a group of junior army officers. In the aftermath of the failed coup, the NPRC government took drastic measures, executing seventeen soldiers involved in the conspiracy, including Bangura, Kanu, and Dumbuya. Additionally, several prominent figures from the previous Momoh government, who were also detained at the Pa Demba Road prison, faced execution. This incident marked a critical moment in Sierra Leone's tumultuous political landscape, highlighting the ongoing tensions and instability within the military and government structures during that period.