MONROVIA, October 27, 2026: Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) Chief of Staff Major General Davidson F. Forleh has warned that military personnel who stand by while civilians are subjected to violence risk dismissal from the army.
Forleh said soldiers have a responsibility to protect human life and must not remain indifferent when citizens face violence or threats to their safety.
“If you stand there and an individual is brutalizing or trying to kill one of your citizens, and you stand without doing anything and tell me that you will go free, you will not go free. I will dismiss you,” Forleh warned.
He issued the warning over the weekend at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia during the graduation of 37 Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) officers who completed band training at the AFL Training Academy.
His remarks followed the administrative discharge of two AFL personnel over an alleged domestic violence incident involving a woman in Thinkers Village, Paynesville, Montserrado County.
The Ministry of National Defense announced on October 21, 2026, that Sergeant Roberts P. Menyon and Sergeant Abu S. B. Sheriff had been discharged following the circulation of a social media video allegedly showing violence against Alfredia Blessing Kpaegai.
The ministry said the action was taken under Chapter 7, Section 7.7(g) and (j) of the National Defense Act of 2008, which addresses misconduct and conduct inconsistent with military standards.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Forleh condemned violence against women and stressed that such conduct contradicts the AFL’s professional standards and its motto, “A Force for Good.”
He emphasized that military personnel must uphold discipline, respect human dignity and demonstrate responsibility both on and off duty.
According to the AFL chief, wearing the military uniform carries obligations beyond following orders, including protecting citizens and responding appropriately when human lives are threatened.
He warned that soldiers who witness violence but fail to take appropriate action could face disciplinary measures, including dismissal.
Forleh maintained that the AFL would not tolerate conduct that abuses, humiliates or devalues women or other members of society.
His warning comes amid renewed attention to discipline and accountability within Liberia’s security institutions following the discharge of the two soldiers. -Editing by The New Dawn
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