Liberia: AFL, LNP Officers Indulge in Lawlessness
The Liberian National Police (LNP) and Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are key security institutions responsible for enforcing, maintaining law and order and protecting citizens. However, none of the above duties was on display during the evening hours of Wednesday, February 16 when LNP and AFL officers rather engaged in lawlessness in the full glare of the public in Paynesville- a situation that raised questions about their adherence to their respective mandates.
The violent clash, which took place at the intersection of S.D. Cooper Road and Tubman Boulevard, resulted in one police officer, William K. David, popularly known as Safety-4, sustaining severe injuries. The incident caused alarm among residents.
The scuffle is suspected to be a retaliatory response to a prior altercation between the two security forces on Sunday. The tension reportedly escalated from an earlier encounter where an Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) officer, riding a private motorcycle along Tubman Boulevard, a restricted area for motorcycles, was stopped by LNP officers. Despite reportedly disclosing his military status, the AFL officer was allegedly assaulted by three LNP officers and forcibly taken into police custody, as captured in a widely circulated video of the altercation on social media.
Following Sunday's altercation, a group of Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) personnel reportedly sought revenge at the same location on Wednesday evening. Eyewitnesses observed the AFL officers chasing Liberia National Police (LNP) personnel at the intersection, leading to a violent attack on officer David, who suffered significant injuries.
While some LNP officers were able to evade the assault, a video captured the chaotic scene depicting AFL personnel aggressively pursuing their counterparts. The injured police officer received medical attention following the incident at the ELWA Hospital in Paynesville.
Shortly after the clash, senior officials from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and Liberia National Police (LNP) arrived at the scene to evaluate the situation. Personnel from both forces were dispatched to restore calm.
However, the incident has raised considerable worry among citizens and lawmakers about the state of the country. The violent encounter has sparked criticism from Liberians who are concerned about the strained relationship within the security forces. Prominent individuals and ordinary citizens have voiced apprehension over perceived deficiencies in leadership and discipline within the security sector.
Montserrado County District #6 Representative Samuel Enders raised, in whose district the incident occurred, concerns about the current situation, questioning, "Lack of leadership leads to lawlessness. Who's in charge?"
AFL High Command Reacts
The High Command of the AFL has reacted to the incident, terming the incident as an "unauthorized attack and use of force by unidentified military personnel against a police officer.
According to a statement released Wednesday night, AFL Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Davidson F. Forleh is calling for calm as the High Command launches an investigation into the matter.
"This action by these unidentified AFL personnel, acting on their own and not sanctioned by the High Command of the AFL, is concerning and required swift intervention as was seen by the arrival of senior officers of the AFL and the LNP on the scene to de-escalate the situation to restore calm," the statement says. "The high command of the AFL calls for calm and assures the public that it is in active communication with national security authorities to ensure that this situation stays under control."
The statement added that an immediate investigation by the "Provost Marshall and the Legal Affairs Unit of the AFL have been launched to establish the facts."
Meanwhile, the situation is reminiscent of the early days of the George Weah administration when agents of the Executive Protective Service (EPS) and AFL soldiers clashed at the Samuel Kanyon Doe's sports complex when live bullets were fired. An AFL soldier was shot during the November 18, 2018, incident and five sustained severe injuries. An EPS officer was also injured.
Six EPS agents were disarmed and placed under investigation following the scuffle.
The fracas occurred in the morning hours of Sunday, November 18, ahead of a football match between the Liberian national team, the Lone Star and the Zimbabwean national team in an African Cup of Nations qualifier.
"Such an incident is totally unwarranted, and the government wishes to assure the general public that those culpable will bear the full weight of the law," a Ministry of Information statement said.
This article originally appeared on the Liberian Observer.