Monrovia, Liberia – The Ministry of Information has issued a statement of behalf of the government led by President Joseph N. Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung thursday evening regarding the situation between state securities and CDC Party. According to the ministry’s statement, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in an attempt to execute a search and seizure warrant at an identified property in the Small Town Community, around the Bernard Beach vicinity, received resistance from some community members that led to the LDEA personnel pulling out of the community.
As a result of the resistance, several LDEA personnel sustained injuries and are currently being treated at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center.
After the LDEA left the area, according to the statement, people who appeared to be Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) members obstructed traffic, erecting barricades, setting fire to tires, and throwing stones at passing cars and pedestrians on Tubman Boulevard, which is close to the party headquarters. Rocks hurled from the direction of the party headquarters caused damage to several vehicles and injured both law enforcement personnel and innocent bystanders.
The Liberia National Police (LNP) moved quickly to restore law and order. The Joint Security unequivocally claimed that no deadly weapon was employed. The government makes it clear that neither the CDC Headquarters nor its employees were the intended target of the LDEA search and seizure operation.
The Joint Security reaffirms its dedication to upholding the law and defending our democratic values. In order to guarantee that people can exercise their rights in a secure setting, the security forces will continue to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism and integrity.
But contrary to the Information Ministry statement, the Liberia National Police was seen throwing rocks and other objects at the civilians including tear gas in a live video.
The statement also added that the government calls on everyone to continue with their regular routines and abstain from violence.
