FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE, 5TH AUGUST 2025: A Christian pastor in Sierra Leone has gone into fear for his life after he was violently attacked by men allegedly sent by his own relatives because of his religious beliefs.
Reverend Ahlieu Sulaiman-Jalloh, an Assistant Pastor at the Agape Assembly of God Church in Thompson Bay, off Wilkinson Road in Freetown, was reportedly beaten unconscious on the evening of 3rd August 2025 while returning home from church with his wife.
According to information gathered, four men confronted the couple along the road and began assaulting them. The attackers were said to be acting on the instructions of the pastor’s uncle, identified as Alhaji Sanusi Jalloh, along with other family members.
Witness accounts indicate that the men slapped and beat both the pastor and his wife, but their main target was Reverend Sulaiman-Jalloh. His wife managed to escape and call for help, but the attackers continued beating him until he lost consciousness. He later regained awareness in a hospital bed several hours after the attack.
The incident was reported at the Lumley Police Station. However, sources close to the family say no meaningful action has been taken by the authorities since the report was filed.
Further information revealed that the attack was linked to religious tension within the family. The pastor comes from a Muslim background, and his family belongs to the Fula tribe, which is widely known in Sierra Leone as a predominantly Muslim community. Relatives reportedly viewed his conversion to Christianity and his role as a pastor as a taboo and a disgrace to the family.
Sources also confirm that the pastor’s life is currently under serious threat. His life is in danger. Family members are said to have issued repeated warnings that wherever they find him, he will be attacked and killed.
It is understood that some relatives are aware that Reverend Sulaiman-Jalloh is presently outside the country. However, they have reportedly stated openly that once they see him anywhere, he will be in danger, accusing him of bringing shame and dishonour to the entire family.
Because of these threats, the pastor is said to be living in fear, with growing concern that he may face further violence if protection is not provided.
Civil society groups are now calling on the Sierra Leone Police and human rights institutions to urgently investigate the attack and ensure the safety of the victim, stressing that no one should be harmed or threatened because of their religious beliefs.
