— 12 Suspects Arrested for Court Trial
IPNEWS: The Liberia National Police has restored calm in Old Yorpea Town, Nimba County, following an altercation between some Bukinabees and citizens of the area on May 16, 2022 that resulted to three persons injured.
Police preliminary investigation revealed that the altercation ensued over allegation of land encroachment between local residents of Old Yorpea Town and some Burkinabees.
Twenty-nine suspects were arrested, and after a rigorous screening process, twelve suspects were held culpable for the injuries sustained by the victims.
The suspects are presently detained at the headquarters of the Sanniquellie Police Detachment in Nimba County awaiting to be forwarded to court.
Calm has been restored and residents who fled the area due to the conflict have returned in the town and are going about their normal businesses.
It may be recalled, last reports emerged from Kparbli, a town near the border with Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire, in Nimba County that about five persons were said to have been wounded from clashes between local residents and some Burkinabes over land dispute.
A local radio, OK FM 99.5 through its Nimba County correspondent reports that the clashes occurred between citizens in the Kparbli District in lower Nimba County, close to the border with Cote d’Ivoire.
According to the station, “The clashes took place between some Burkinabes and citizens of the place due to land business. The citizens said the Burkinabes are taking their land to do farming.”
There been reports in recent time about Burkinabes crossing over into neighboring Grand Gedeh County for farming purposes some time ago and it had to take the intervention of the Government of Liberia in partnership with the Ivorian government to bring the situation under control.
Flashback: Liberian security forces in deployment along the Liberia- Cote d’Ivoire border
Meanwhile, the lawmaker of Kparbli District, Tuan Gleekia told OK FM 99.5 that the situation is serious and that they are calling on health authorities to send an ambulance for the wounded.
“Two persons are very critical from the shooting incident. Three persons sustained injuries. I have asked the head doctor in Tappita Hospital to send an ambulance to the place for the wounded.”
No death was reported but the situation is tense and citizens in the district are calling on the Ministry of Justice to intervene.
A citizen from the district said, “Some Burkinabes were among those wounded and taken to hospital in Tappita with some citizens. They used single barrel guns to shoot.”
“We are calling on the Ministry of Justice to send a team of security people down here but from yesterday, we have been appealing to them but no response. Do they want the situation to escalate before they send troops?”
Up to press time there were no reports of any intervention from the Ministry of Justice, but sources confided in IPNEWS that Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean has promised to act on the request.
