–Ahead of 2023 Presidential & Legislative Elections
–Gov’t Urged to Thread Cautiously & Professionally
IPNEWS: On Wednesday, January 4, 2023, when news broke out that the Liberia National Police (LNP) in collaboration with Joint Security agents busted a cache of Arms and Ammunition reportedly shipped to Liberia through the Freeport of Monrovia, and later on, an additional discovery was made at a house in Brewerville in lower Montserrado County, the news was greeted with fear by Liberians and foreign nationals alike judging from the country’s bitter 14-year civil war that took the lives of over 250,000 people according to estimates.
Following the breaking news as was reported by the authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper, the social media went wild as Liberians started to express fear, especially when it was not swiftly announced by the police as to who was behind the shipment. There are speculations and mixed reactions in public circles, as some Liberians opined that the illegal and clandestine shipment of the arms and ammunition may have been for commercial purposes, while others feared the worst judging from the country’s past history of violence.
The authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper (IPNEWS) broke news on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, that Liberian security forces had seized a cache of arms at the Freeport of Monrovia, that was reportedly designated for a client on the Old Road in Sinkor, after which the Liberia National Police (LNP) displayed to journalists and media workers at its headquarters on Capitol Hill some of the arms and ammunition seized in Monrovia.
IPNEWS managed and obtain photos of at least ten document-preserved boxes loaded with the rifles. Some of the rifles discovered according to security sources are mounted with long-range lance glasses to include M203 launcher gadgets, American-made M16, and AK47, among others.
Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Patrick Sudue, told journalists on late Thursday evening, January 5, 2023, that following the confiscation of arms and ammunition at the Freeport of Monrovia based on intelligence, the Police was able to make some arrests, which led to the discovery of additional arms and ammunition at a house in Brewerville, outside Monrovia.
According to security sources, the arms and ammunition were uncovered in Brewerville following the issuance of a Search and Seizure Warrant in connection with a classified leak from an unidentified man claiming to be a Liberian boyfriend of the consignee (name withheld), to security officers.
The report on the seizure of heavy consignment of arms and ammunition placed security on high alert. In the capital city Monrovia, there were a heavy security presence at major intersections and a rigorous search of vehicles overnight.
When contacted, Liberian Security authorities remained tight-lipped, apparently due to the nature of the seizure and fear to plunge the country into pandemonium.
According to the report, another boyfriend of the consignee currently residing in the United States identified as Benjamin Baker and also an owner of a residence in Brewerville community has reportedly been sending tons of weaponry to the consignee for nearly a year.
Police IG Sudue then stated that on January 6, 2023, the container that was seized at the Freeport of Monrovia would be torn apart and every piece of box contained therein would thoroughly be searched.
Police in Monrovia then named, Benjamin Baker, a resident of the United States as prime suspect of the illegal importation of the Firearms Seized at the Freeport of Monrovia. Barbara Debah, a lady residing on the Old Road in Sinkor and another lady only identify as, Melvina where names as alleged accomplices are currently undergoing probe by the LNP.
At the same, hours following the discovery of Firearms and Ammunition, Liberia National Police said, it would begin Major inspection of Vehicles across the country. The LNP has at the same time vowed to remove unauthorized Security features from vehicles across the Country.
LNP and Joint Security Agents Yet to Make Public Result of Container Search
When the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Patrick Sudue, told a news conference that the joint security would tear apart the container that contained the arms and ammunition the next day following the discovery and seizure of the weapons, there has been further report from the Police the status of their search.
All efforts by IPNEWS to contact IG Sudue, Police spokesperson Moses Carter and others proved futile up to press time.
Political pundits have urged the Liberia National Police and other elements of the Joint Security of Liberia to tread cautiously and professionally as they go about conducting their investigation, taking into consideration any mishap could lead to pandemonium nationwide.
Some pundits have even called for local and international observers during the entire process as the LNP and the Joint Security conduct their investigation
What Has Happened to Pre-Shipment Inspection Process Conducted by BIVAC in the Past?
Recently 100 million cocaine shipments were seized at the very Freeport of Monrovia, following a tipoff by U.S. Security Apparatus to its Liberian counterparts.
The seizure of the cocaine sparked mixed reactions in both Liberia and the world on the security at the Freeport of Monrovia.
Prior to the repeated and unprecedented discoveries, Liberia’s Freeport of Monrovia was one of the safest ports within the West African region when it was managed by both Liberian authorities and the pre-shipment giant BIVAC.
It may be recalled, in 2021, the Government of Liberia abruptly canceled the contract of the International Company Bureau Veritas, (BIVAC), and longtime operator in Liberia for Pre-shipment Inspection and Destination inspections.
Minutes after the abrupt cancelation, the Government of Liberia brought in MEDTECH Scientific Ltd, based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, a sole medical company, to manage the pre-shipment and post-shipment operations at the Freeport of Monrovia and other ports of entry.
Sources within MEDTECH Scientific Ltd, hinted IPNEWS that MEDTECH Scientific Ltd, now MEDTECH Scientific Liberia Ltd., does not have the technical capacity to manage Liberia’s international pre-inspection of shipment for which the George Weah-led Administration awarded a 10-year contract, knocking out long-time pre-inspection specialist, BIVAC, and is now only conducting destination inspection without modern logistics and port scanning equipment.
Under this same MEDTECH Scientific Ltd, now MEDTECH Scientific Liberia Ltd, 100 million dollars value of drugs (Cocaine) landed and departed the Freeport of Monrovia without a trace.
Liberians Call for Open and Transparent Investigation
Meanwhile, a vox pox conducted by IPNEWS in relations to the discovery and seizure of the cache of arms and ammunition have revealed that most Liberians want the Government of Liberia through the Joint Security to be open and transparent in the conduct of the investigation, recalling the ugly past of the Samuel Doe regime, where opposition politicians and other prominent Liberians were implicated in state crimes
The issue of the former Executive Mansion Guard Battalion officer, Col. Moses M.M.D. Flazamington was coerced to lie on perceived enemies of the Samuel Doe regime that they were part of the plot to overthrow his regime with the famous ‘50 Caliber’ shootout incident. When Flazamington could not remember his script on live television, and decided to look on a piece of paper, he was whisked off and ordered executive by President Doe, since indeed he had exposed their plot to implicate innocent opposition politicians.
At the same time, some Liberians have called on the LNP and Joint Security to brief the media periodically, in order to avoid public speculations, as that won’t be good for the image of the government of Liberia.
