By: Julius Konton
Scores of Liberians gathered in New York on Thursday, waving Liberia’s red, white and blue flag and carrying placards calling for equal treatment under the law, as President Joseph Nyuma Boakai prepared to address world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The demonstrators said they were protesting what they described as selective justice in the Liberian government’s ongoing investigation into an alleged transnational narcotics network.
Chanting “No more drugs, we want justice,” protesters urged President Boakai and his administration to ensure that every person allegedly connected to the investigation is subjected to the same legal scrutiny, regardless of political position, family ties or social status.
The protest comes against the backdrop of one of Liberia’s most significant recent narcotics investigations.
Authorities have linked the case to the July seizure of about 4.2 metric tons of cocaine, which officials estimated at approximately US$317 million.
Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, who served from 2018 to 2024, was arrested on Aug. 19 and subsequently charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and other offenses.
The government says the charges followed an investigation into an alleged transnational narcotics network; Howard-Taylor remains entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence.
At the New York demonstration, some protesters also raised unsubstantiated allegations concerning President Boakai’s son, arguing that anyone allegedly connected to the drug investigation should be questioned or investigated irrespective of their relationship to the president.
The protesters repeatedly asked why, in their view, a former vice president could be detained and prosecuted while other individuals they believe may warrant scrutiny have not faced comparable public investigation.
These claims concerning the president’s son could not be independently established from the sources reviewed for this report and should not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing.
The controversy comes as President Boakai is in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, whose 2026 theme is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.” Liberia’s government has repeatedly defended its handling of the narcotics investigation.
In an Aug. 27 national address, Boakai said his administration would neither “persecute nor shield anyone” because of political affiliation, office, status or influence, insisting that the law must apply equally to all and that allegations of criminal conduct must ultimately be determined through Liberia’s justice system.
The New York demonstration therefore places a domestic accountability debate directly alongside Liberia’s international diplomatic engagements.
For the protesters, the central issue is not only the prosecution of individuals already charged but whether investigators will pursue every credible lead without political interference.
For the government, the challenge is to demonstrate that the investigation is evidence-based, transparent and consistent with due process.
As the case proceeds, the distinction between political allegations and courtroom evidence will remain critical to determining what claims can ultimately be substantiated.
