In recent months, it seems, some individuals believed to be agents of doom and anarchy are poised to disrupt Liberia’s hard-won peace and recreate an atmosphere of mobocracy wherein violence, lawlessness, bloodletting and chaos would become the order of the day.
Our assertion, fear and apprehension are based on the multiplying reports as it relates to the discovery of several catches of arms and ammunition in several parts of the country.
For instance, on Monday, April 10, 2023, the entire Liberian nation was awakened by a startling disclosure by Liberia’s joint security forces that more than one thousand, nine hundred (1,900) rounds of machine guns and other ammunition were discovered in Blagay Town, Nimba County, in the Northern region of the country.
According to the joint security forces, the ammunition which included Avtomat Kalashinkova, (AK47s) and Guns and Grenade Launchers (G&Gs) among other weapons were discovered by a sixteen (16) year-old-boy who had gone to clean the backyard of his parents’ house.
It was also revealed that the weapons were found next to the home of a former Ivorian militia Commander, who is also a notorious armed robber, who has been identified as Abu Weamie. Weamie is currently undergoing preliminary security investigation in Sanniqullie, Nimba County.
It is however, not cleared whether or not other individuals who may be persons of interest have been called in by the joint security forces to help with the ongoing arms discovery investigation in that part of the country.
We also recalled that in January of this year (2023), state security forces, through the Liberia National Police (LNP) announced that they were investigating the motive behind illegal importation of a huge quantity of high-powered guns and ammunition often used by the military and highly skilled combat personnel.
According to the state security forces, then, the weapons were discovered in several caches loaded onto a container shipped to Liberia through the Freeport of Monrovia.
Police Inspector General, Col. Patrick Sudue, at the time, disclosed that through joint security efforts, they confiscated the container which was shipped to Liberia by a Liberian residing in Texas, United States of America, identified as Boye Benjamin Baker.
The LNP IG further explained that suspect Boye Benjamin Baker works for an American Airline.
“We had the intelligence so we went to the Freeport and confiscated the container, opened the container – and the first few boxes that were searched, we saw some heavy weapons, a lot of them, we’re talking about military weapons. As we speak the container is sealed up, we’re going to search the entire container,” the LNP IG narrated.
The Police Inspector General, then, disclosed that at least 15 assorted riffles were discovered so far.
“But those 15 weapons if you get them you can destabilize this country because those are high-ferocity-powered firing weapons. We’re talking about weapons that use 20-caliber rounds, 30-caliber rounds – those are not joking weapons,” Police IG said, then.
The Inspector General disclosed that some of the ammunition discovered did not match the guns they have so far confiscated.
According to the LNP IG, the arms and ammunition were uncovered following the issuance of a search and seizure warrant in connection with a classified leak of information from an unidentified man.
At the time, the IG told the nation that three people were so far arrested in connection with the illegal importation of the arms and were in police custody.
One Barbra Debba of the Old Road community who was to receive the consignment was among those who were said to have been arrested.
A broker, identified as Melvina, was reportedly arrested. During the search of the consignee’s home (Boye Baker) in Brewerville, more weapons were reportedly discovered in the ceiling.
Also reportedly found hiding in the ceiling was a man, identified as Tamba who was also placed in police custody. But, to date, the outcome of the LNP probe on the Freeport Arms Discovery is yet to be made public.
Frankly, all these terrifying, chilling and disturbing revelations as regard the constant discovery of arms and ammunition have effectively created high sense of fear, insecurity and apprehension across the country.
In other words, such discoveries, in our candid view, indicate that some unscrupulous individuals and or groups may have been planning to instigate chaos in Liberia at the disadvantage of the vast majority of Liberian citizens who prefer peace over war, and development over destruction.
This is why, we, at THE INDEPENDENT newspaper, have been consistently calling on the Liberian government to conclude its pronounced investigations bordering on the series of illegal arms importations and discoveries, including the discoveries made months ago at the Freeport of Monrovia as well as the latest in Blagay Town, Nimba County.
That some of the pieces of ammunition discovered at the Freeport of Monrovia are high-ferocity-powered firing weapons such as 20-caliber rounds, 30-caliber rounds among others that could be used to destabilize the country, as revealed months ago, by Police IG Sudue is not only troubling but also worrisome for the Liberian nation.
Moreover, we find it totally incomprehensible and unimaginable that someone or group may want to naively disrupt and or undermine the prevailing peace and serenity in Liberia by ‘working under the cover of darkness’ to amass ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in Liberia that, for nearly two decades, suffered so-much destruction of its infrastructure and precious human lives.
In its previous armed conflict, approximately 250,000 persons, predominately women, children and the elderly were killed, more than a million others internally and externally displaced, coupled with the desecration and destruction of the country’s economy that is yet to recover to its pre-war status.
To date, the vast majority of Liberian citizenry find themselves in multidimensional poverty and misery, occasioned primarily by the brutal armed conflict which was effectively reinforced by unbridled acts of corruption and bad governance over the years.
This is why; we reserve no atom of hesitation to denounce as despicable, evil-intentional, unpatriotic, uncivilized, abhorrent and criminal the concealment of arms and ammunition by anyone or group that may be the masterminds of such unlawful and criminal act.
We also say woe unto anyone or all those who, for any pecuniary or self-serving gains want to recreate an atmosphere of violence and chaos in Liberia at the detriment of the vast majority of well-meaning Liberians, especially as the October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections fast approach.
In short, we say woe unto those who are beating drums of chaos and anarchy in Liberia by secretly amassing military weapons on Liberian territory.
Indeed, the war-drums beaters shall never succeed, with God above, Liberia shall live in peace and serenity, and Liberia shall overall prevail rain or shine.
