On April 28, 1992, a group of young, disillusioned soldiers staged a coup d’état in Freetown, Sierra Leone, overthrowing the government of President Joseph Saidu Momoh. Led by 25-year-old Captain Valentine Strasser, the mutinous troops cited rampant corruption, poor conditions in the military, and the government’s failure to manage the ongoing civil war as reasons for their rebellion. The coup brought an end to 24 years of All People’s Congress (APC) rule and marked the beginning of a turbulent military-led government. Strasser became the world’s youngest head of state at the time. While initially welcomed by many, his regime would later face its own challenges, setting the stage for continued instability during the brutal Sierra Leone Civil War.
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