Authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) have arrested three individuals in reference to the unlawful importation of the over 450 arms and ammunition at the Freeport of Monrovia and are presently in police custody.
Those arrested embody one Barbra Debba of Old Road group who was to obtain the consignment, the dealer solely recognized as Melvina, and a boy solely recognized as Tamba, and was arrested throughout the search of the consignee’s house (Boye Baker) in Brewersville.
Addressing a information convention yesterday, January 5, 2023 in Monrovia following the confiscation of the weapons, Police Inspector General, Patrick Sudue disclosed that extra weapons have been additionally found in the ceiling of the consignee’s (Boye Baker) house in Brewersville.
According to him, the Thursday safety seizure additionally uncovered over ten document-preserved bins loaded with the inventory of the rifles mounted with long-range lance glasses together with M203 launcher devices, American-made M16, and AK47, amongst others.
He maintained that the LNP remains to be investigating the motive behind the unlawful importation of the big amount of the high-powered weapons and ammunition usually utilized by the army and extremely expert fight personnel.
Col. Sudue who additionally linked the cargo of the confiscated container to Liberia by a Liberian residing in Texas, United States recognized as Boye Benjamin Baker and is reportedly working for American Airlines additional revealed that not less than 15 assorted riffles have been found up to now.
“But those 15 weapons if you get them you can destabilize this country because those are high-ferocity-powered firing weapons. We’re talking about weapons that use 20-caliber rounds, 30-caliber rounds – those are not joking weapons, and several ammunition were also discovered,” he mentioned.
IG Sudue added that a few of the ammunition found didn’t match the weapons they’ve confiscated up to now and as such, they needed to halt the inspection of the container for safety causes however would examine the complete content material of the container on Friday.
“Because we need to know who those behind the importation of those weapons and who were those are going to use the weapons and for what purpose or reasons,” he careworn.
Meanwhile, the Police Boss has additionally introduced a serious inspection of all autos throughout the nation to keep away from safety threats admits considerations as to how the weapons have been smuggled into the nation, together with worry of penalties it might have on the pending 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
As a part of safety parole, IG Sudue at the similar time additional disclosed plans by the LNP to take away unauthorized safety features from autos throughout the nation.
Fear and Panic Grips Liberia:
In a associated growth, there have been critical worry and panic throughout Liberia since the confiscation of the weapons, African Entertainment (AEN) has gathered.
The West African nation (Liberia), which skilled 14 years of blooded Civil War, is heading into one among its main Presidential and Legislative elections by October of this yr.
Incumbent President George M. Weah is in search of his second and last time period of workplace on the ticket of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Congress (CDC), however contemplating the historical past of Liberia so far as gun violence is anxious, the alleged importation of the weapons has fueled safety considerations forward of the elections.
In current occasions, AEN has come throughout numerous conspiracy theories about the importation of the weapons, with some individuals pointing accusing fingers at opposition politicians whom they think need to trigger confusion in the nation most likely earlier than, throughout or after the elections.
Liberia has a number of opposition political events together with the principal opposition Unity Party (UP), Liberty Party (LP), and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) of political determine Alexander Cummings, that are anticipated to take part in the upcoming elections, with the hope of unseating President Weah whose assumed energy in 2018, having taken over from Liberia’s first feminine President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Additionally, the confiscation of the weapons got here days after the Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Maj. Gen. Prince C. Johnson revealed that he had been receiving textual content messages from some unknown people, calling on him to overthrow President George M. Weah throughout his journey out of the nation.
As a end result, the Army Chief-of-Staff then warned that the AFL is not going to hesitate to train its Constitutional energy to buttress the Police and different safety equipment to guard the nation fragile peace and its citizenry in the event that they state of affairs overwhelm them.
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