-Says President Weah Offers No Solution

IPNEWS-Monrovia: The political leader and standard bearer of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander Benedict Cummings has alarmed over the worsening security situation in Liberia following the deaths of two former president sons in Monrovia and a Liberia Immigration Service female personnel in Brewerville.

It can be recalled two sons of former Liberian presidents and an immigration officer have become the latest victims of a wave of killings sweeping across Liberia. Police spokesman Moses Carter confirmed to the BBC on Wednesday that the last son of assassinated Liberian president William R. Tolbert, Jr, was murdered.

The body of Reverend William R. Tolbert, III was found lying in a pool of blood in his bedroom at his Bushrod Island district residence in the capital, Monrovia. His father was gruesomely killed and his body dismembered in the Samuel Doe-led military coup that toppled his nine-year regime on 12 April 1980.

And like his late father, Rev Tolbert was a Baptist preacher and had served as Liberia’s ambassador for peace.

His death comes a day after the body of a female immigration officer, Maude Elliott, was found with deep cuts and bruises at her home in the Monrovia western outskirts of Brewerville.

In September, John Tubman, a son of Liberia’s longest-serving president, William Tubman, was killed and his body found at his home.

The killings have caused panic across the country. Earlier this year, President George Weah came under public criticism when he urged citizens to protect themselves by installing security cameras at home.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Mr. Cummings express heart break for the rising wave of gruesome murders and other acts of lowliness overtaking the Liberian society. “I have reflected on this a lot and there are no words to express the magnitude of these unfortunate events. First, I want to extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. May God grant each family the strength they need to endure their losses,” he laments

The ANC political leader blames the current ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led government for its failure to fight the current wave of crimes that is occurring in recent times.

“Sadly, under this President, the Liberian Government continues to fail the nation.  The security situation in the country is worsening daily. Communities are unsafe, streets are unsafe, and even homes are unsafe. One does not require any statistics to know Monrovia, the nation’s Capital, is overcome by fear and rising crimes. And yet, we all remember the President’s famous response, which was to disdainfully tell poor Liberians to buy and install close circuit televisions (CCTV) in their homes,” Mr. Cummings notes.

He continues: “As families are grieving the many mysterious deaths, unsolved gruesome murders and reports of ritualistic killings that are laying siege to the society, an uncaring President Weah is vacationing at his Jamaica Resort every day, irresponsibly disconnected from the daily living and entrapping fears of Liberians. The President is offering no real solutions to the rising wave of crimes and murders, and some of the government’s explanations around the mysterious deaths and murders have left more questions than they have sought to answer.”

Mr. Cummings, whose ANC is also a member of Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), a new political Framework that wants to unseat the CDC government in the 2023 elections, averred “Protecting lives is the most basic duty of any responsible government. The Liberian President is the constitutional Head of State and Head of Government. As such, this basic duty begins and ends with President George Weah and he has dismally failed at it.”

Mr. Cummings says he knows that no government can prevent the commission of all crimes. But noted, “No government must be repeatedly unresponsive as this Liberian Government to the rising wave of crimes overtaking the society. Also, no President ought to be vacationing while Liberians are being murdered, including in their homes. No President ought to be partying and making music while murderous crimes are sweeping communities leaving Liberians to live in terror and fear.”

The tough-talking ANC political leader stresses that “Every Liberian life is precious. Therefore, I urge all Liberians to be extra careful. Move about in pairs. Look out for each other in the communities. Check on each other. Make sure to lock your doors and windows at night. Setup and enable community watch teams where it does not already exist and help each other when you sense someone is in distress. We can no longer depend on this failed government. Therefore, we must now depend on each other for mutual security. Liberia deserves better.”