By: Julius Konton
Sinoe County District Two Representative Samson Wiah has issued one of the strongest public condemnations yet of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), accusing deployed soldiers of desertion, civilian intimidation, cultural desecration, and indiscriminate gunfire in southeastern Liberia raising fresh concerns about military discipline nearly two decades after the country’s civil war.
Representative Samson Wiah, who represents Electoral District Two of Sinoe County, addressed a press conference on Wednesday, describing what he called a “near-war situation” in the town of Nylewlehken, where AFL personnel allegedly opened fire during a sacred Grebo traditional initiation ceremony, forcing residents to flee into surrounding forests.
“This action was not only an affront to the people of Nylewlehken, but a direct insult to the Grebo tradition and a grave threat to national peace,” Wiah said.
A STRATEGIC DISTRICT AT THE CENTER OF THE STORM
Sinoe County’s District Two stretches from Liberia’s southeastern coastline deep into the country’s forested interior.
It borders Rivercess County to the west, Grand Kru to the east, and River Gee and Grand Gedeh counties to the north, with large portions adjacent to the Sapo National Park, West Africa’s largest protected rainforest.
Sapo National Park spans approximately 1,804 square kilometers (696 square miles) and is considered a biodiversity hotspot, home to endangered species such as pygmy hippos, forest elephants, and rare primates.
In recent years, the park has faced growing threats from illegal mining, logging, and poaching, prompting the Liberian government to deploy AFL troops in 2024 as part of a joint environmental security strategy.
FROM FOREST PROTECTION TO COMMUNITY FEAR
According to Representative Wiah, local leaders initially welcomed the military deployment, recognizing the importance of forest conservation and biodiversity protection.
“We embraced the decision because our forests are essential to human existence and national survival,” he said.
However, within months, complaints allegedly emerged that soldiers had abandoned their designated posts inside the park and were instead operating among civilian communities armed.
Local leaders reportedly raised concerns after soldiers were seen in Jleapo and Barteken towns, prompting assurances from senior AFL officers that the matter would be addressed.
Those assurances, Wiah said, proved hollow.
ALLEGATIONS OF COLLUSION WITH ILLEGAL MINERS
In one of the most controversial claims, the lawmaker alleged that some AFL personnel assigned to remove illegal miners from the park had instead entered into transactions with those miners.
“The same soldiers sent to expel illegal miners have, to our greatest surprise, allegedly converted into business partners,” Wiah stated.
If proven, such actions would represent a serious breach of Liberia’s National Defense Act, military ethics codes, and international norms governing armed forces in conservation zones.
THE NIGHT OF GUNFIRE: “OVER 80 SHELL CASINGS RECOVERED”
The most explosive incident allegedly occurred on Monday evening, the 25th, during a Grebo male initiation ceremony, a deeply respected rite of passage marking the transition of adolescent boys into manhood.
The ceremony, which traditionally lasts 24 to 48 hours, was already underway when AFL personnel allegedly entered Nylewlehken town, reportedly under the influence of alcohol.
According to the account presented:
Traditional authorities had temporarily restricted movement of women and non-initiates, as custom requires.
Soldiers were reportedly given a designated place to remain during the ritual
AFL personnel allegedly refused to comply, resisted traditional messengers, and began pursuing traditional leaders
Moments later, Wiah said, heavy gunfire erupted.
“We could not even hear the voices of those calling us. Over 80 armed men allegedly opened fire throughout the town,” he said.
A fact-finding team dispatched by the representative’s office later claimed to have recovered more than 80 spent shell casings, with bullet holes reportedly visible in rooftops and traditional structures.
AFL PERSONNEL ALLEGEDLY APOLOGIZED ON THEIR KNEES
In a dramatic twist, Wiah claimed that during a subsequent community engagement exercise, some AFL personnel knelt before local residents, acknowledging wrongdoing and apologizing.
“They admitted they were wrong. That alone raises serious questions about what provoked such actions in the first place,” he said.
Senior AFL officials initially dismissed the reports, according to Wiah, arguing that “Liberian soldiers would never fire a weapon in a civilian town.”
CALLS FOR COURT MARTIAL AND IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL
The lawmaker is now calling for:
An independent investigation
Court martial proceedings for all soldiers involved
Immediate relocation of AFL personnel back into Sapo National Park
Compensation and repairs for damaged properties
Mandatory cultural and civil-military relations training for troops deployed in traditional regions
“We do not want the AFL in our communities. We want them in the park chasing illegal miners and poachers, not terrorizing civilians,” Wiah said.
He also urged action from the Chief of Staff of the AFL, the Minister of National Defense, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, warning that continued inaction could undermine the credibility of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration.
A NATION STILL HAUNTED BY WAR
Liberia emerged from 14 years of civil war (1989–2003) that claimed an estimated 250,000 lives and displaced nearly one-third of the population.
Since democratic elections resumed in 2005, peace has been the country’s most fragile but prized achievement.
“We have run into bushes before. We know what war looks like,” Wiah warned.
“What is happening in that part of Liberia feels like a return to those dark days.”
GOVERNMENT YET TO ISSUE FORMAL RESPONSE
As of publication, the Armed Forces of Liberia and the Ministry of National Defense had not issued an official public response to the allegations.
For residents of Nylewlehken and surrounding communities, however, the damage both physical and psychological has already been done.
