A soldier with the Sierra Leonean military police greets and patrols an empty road in Freetown on Nov 26, 2023. A military armoury in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown came under attack on Sunday, the Sierra Leonean government said. (PHOTO / AFP)

FREETOWN - Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio said late Sunday that all the leaders involved in an earlier attack on major military barracks in Freetown, the country's capital, have been arrested.

In a national address, Bio said the attackers had been repelled by a combined team of gallant security forces, and calm had been restored.

He said that the individuals not only attacked the military barracks at Wilberforce but also other locations including the Pademba Road Correctional Center, which led to the escape of prisoners.

"Security operations and investigations are ongoing. We will ensure that those responsible are held accountable through due process," the president said.

In the face of the security challenge, Bio called for national unity.        

Following the incident, the Sierra Leonean government issued a nationwide curfew, urging citizens to stay indoors, but when the curfew will end has not been announced yet

"Our strength lies in our unity, and it is through solidarity that we can overcome challenges that come our way," Bio said.

"I want to assure everybody who is resident in Sierra Leone that we have overcome this challenge, and together, we will continue on the path of progress and development," the president added.

READ MORE: Sierra Leone imposes nationwide curfew after security incident

Following the incident, the Sierra Leonean government issued a nationwide curfew, urging citizens to stay indoors, but when the curfew will end has not been announced yet. 

The West African country's civil aviation authority urged airlines to reschedule flights after the curfew was declared, while a soldier on its frontier with neighboring Guinea told Reuters they had been instructed to shut the border.

Information minister Chernor Bah said earlier on Sunday that security forces were making progress in apprehending those involved in the attack, but gave no further details, reports Reuters from Freetown.

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The Economic Community of West African States condemned what it called an attempt by certain individuals to "acquire arms and disturb constitutional order" in Sierra Leone. 

With Reuters inputs