By: Jacqueline L. Dennis
The Justice Minister of Liberia, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean on Thursday February 9, 2023 told Senate Plenary that Monrovia City Police personnel are not to bear firearms, stating firearms should only be placed in the right hands of those who are to responsibly and constitutionally carry firearms in the discharge of their duties to the state and its peoples.
Minister Dean made the statement at a Plenary hearing when he appeared before that august body to address issues that relate to the wellbeing of citizens and residents of Liberia, and as well as some national issues surrounding the security of the state ahead of the October 2023 presidential and legislative elections and among other things.
Nimba County Senator Prince Y Johnson, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, Security and Intelligence, expressed his concern regarding Monrovia City Police personnel ‘bearing unauthorized weapons all over the place’ and wanted to know what is the Justice Ministry doing to curtail the unscrupulous act, Justice Minister Dean responded to the Senator to express his concerns through a written communication so that the Ministry can start and investigation in what is being said about the Monrovia City Police personnel.
“Yes, you are right they should not bear arms, we should look into that matter because firearms should be placed in the right hands of those who have the constitutional and statutory responsibility,” Minister informed Senate Plenary.
Addressing Senate Plenary’s concerns regarding the cache of arms and ammunitions recently discovered at the Free Port of Monrovia, the Justice Minister disclosed that a great part of the investigation are in the hands of their international partner, meaning the United States of America, whose agents played a key role through a tipoff to their Liberian counterparts in the discovery of the cache of arms recently.
Senator Johnson was also concerned as the country approaches to the 2023 presidential and legislative elections where the security situation stands.
According to the Senator, City Major Jefferson Koijee has allegedly allowed his people (meaning the Monrovia City Police personnel) “to tote unauthorized weapons all over the place which is dangerous for the country,” adding not every police/security personnel is entitled to carry firearms.
The Nimba County Senator noted the recent arms and ammunition that were discovered by the joint security at the Freeport of Monrovia are assassin weapons, indicating those who clandestinely brought those weapons into the country must have had a sinister motive which was exposed through the discovery of those deadly weapons.
