Monrovia – Lawmakers from Grand Gedeh and Nimba Counties are elevating critical alarms over what they describe because the rising and unchecked inflow of Burkinabé nationals into their constituencies, calling the state of affairs a nationwide safety emergency.
By Matthias F. Larbeindee with the Liberia Forest Media Watch
The lawmakers, taking part on the July 31, 2025 of the Forest Hour Present held each Thursday on OK FM, known as on the central authorities to improve border management, prosecute unlawful entrants, and supply better safety presence in rural areas the place tensions are rising between residents and overseas settlers.
Consultant Jacob C. Debee (District #3, Grand Gedeh County), described the state of affairs in his district as dire and escalating. “My district is the toughest hit,” Rep. Debee said. “Simply this morning, one other group of Burkinabé attacked and chopped three others. The victims are actually hospitalized, with some taken to a hospital in Ivory Coast and others to Tapita Hospital in Liberia.
He lamented the restricted energy of lawmakers in such issues, stressing the necessity for robust government intervention. “The chief wants to say its authority. We, within the legislature, don’t have the facility to arrest. All we will do is encourage the police and judiciary to behave sincerely,” he mentioned.
Debee emphasised that the difficulty extends past Grand Gedeh. “It is a nationwide emergency. What occurs in Grand Gedeh impacts Monrovia. The Burkinabé have outnumbered our residents in some communities.”
He expressed frustration over repeated cases the place arrested overseas nationals had been launched with out prosecution. “A month in the past, the FDA and native forest administration groups arrested 23 of them. The police charged them, despatched them to court docket, however they had been launched. The judicial system is weak,” he mentioned.
Debee additionally claimed to have personally intercepted a gaggle of Burkinabé nationals touring into the world. “I arrested virtually 20 of them on the street and turned them over to immigration. These individuals are not Liberian residents. Some are concerned in human trafficking and unlawful entry,” he alleged.
Echoing comparable frustrations, Nimba County District #6 Consultant Dorwoan Gleekia mentioned the federal government has did not act regardless of years of warnings. “We’ve got flagged these points for 3 to 4 years, and nothing has been achieved. We made proposals to the central authorities, however the vital actions had been by no means taken,” Gleekia mentioned.
He accused the chief department of being reactive fairly than proactive. “Each time our residents stand as much as defend their land, that’s when the federal government exhibits as much as arrest them,” he lamented.
In the a part of District #6 which borders Ivory Coast, Gleekia mentioned the state of affairs mirrors that of Grand Gedeh. “When you go to my district, you’ll see it’s irritating. Our residents are being imprisoned in Sanniquellie only for standing up for his or her rights,” he mentioned.
Gleekia urged the federal government to deal with the matter as a nationwide disaster. “This can’t be left to the county administration or lawmakers alone. We want a holistic, nationwide method. If not, what began in Grand Gedeh may unfold to Nimba,” he warned.
Because the state of affairs continues to unfold, residents in affected areas are left feeling susceptible, whereas requires decisive authorities motion develop louder.
