By Ibrahim Sesay

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), William Fayia Sellu, has disclosed that the Sierra Leone Police have identified the individual believed to be Europe’s most wanted man, Jos Leijdekkers, as Umar Sheriff. This revelation was made during a press conference held on Tuesday, February 4, at the Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown.

“The picture that has been circulating on social media as Jos Leijdekkers—we have been able to, through our Open Source Investigation Unit, affix a name to that face, which is Umar Sheriff,” IGP William Sellu stated.

According to the IGP, a thorough review of formal entry records for the past six months yielded no trace of Umar Sheriff’s official entry into Sierra Leone. “We don’t have that name in our records,” he emphasized.

William Sellu further revealed that the police have conducted multiple raids in an effort to apprehend Sheriff, but so far, all attempts have been unsuccessful. He added that the authorities remain uncertain about Sheriff’s activities within the country.

“As we speak, we are on the lookout for Umar Sheriff and encourage members of the public to assist the police in their investigations,” he urged.

The IGP also provided updates on the ongoing investigation into a recent cocaine bust in Guinea. He confirmed that a team of Sierra Leonean investigators, along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is currently in Conakry gathering intelligence.

“Our team has been in Conakry since Saturday and has been conducting extensive inquiries. Our primary goal is to access the suspects and piece together the sequence of events that led to their arrest. We want to establish who authorized the mission, who the passengers were, and everyone who came into contact with the vehicle before it was intercepted,” he explained.

In light of these developments, the IGP appealed to international partners for support in strengthening Sierra Leone’s law enforcement capacity to combat transnational organized crime.

“We need support in capacity building to enhance our ability to tackle cross-border criminal activities, not just within Sierra Leone but across the sub-region,” he noted.

International media outlets, including Reuters, have reported that Leijdekkers, known by the alias “Bolle Jos,” has allegedly been residing in Sierra Leone for at least six months under high-level protection. Verified photos and videos reportedly show him attending a church service in Tihun, Sierra Leone, on January 1, 2025, seated two rows behind President Julius Maada Bio.

The Sierra Leone Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and provide any relevant information that could aid in locating  Umar Sheriff. They have also assured that further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.