MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots (CDC-COP) has issued a strong ultimatum to President Joseph Boakai’s administration, demanding the immediate dismissal of three senior security officials. The group insists that Liberia National Police (LNP) Inspector General Gregory Coleman, Executive Protection Service (EPS) Director Sam Gaye, and National Security Agency (NSA) Director-General Prince C. Johnson II must be removed within 72 hours, citing allegations of human rights violations, corruption, and failure to investigate a series of suspicious deaths.
At a press conference in Monrovia, CDC-COP National Chairperson Foday N. Massaquoi accused the security leadership of gross misconduct and complicity in crimes against Liberians. He asserted that NSA Director-General Johnson, who he claimed holds a Swiss passport, has been involved in acts of torture and intimidation. Massaquoi specifically linked Johnson to the controversial death of Sgt. Bobby Mennah, a soldier found dead under suspicious circumstances. He dismissed the official account that Mennah shot himself multiple times in the head, calling it a cover-up designed to shield those responsible for his death.
The CDC-COP leader went on to highlight what he described as an alarming increase in mysterious deaths since the Unity Party-led government took power in January 2024. He alleged that their investigations had uncovered 178 cases of unexplained fatalities, with no serious efforts made by authorities to bring perpetrators to justice. One of the most chilling incidents he referenced was the so-called “Kinjor Massacre” in Grand Cape Mount County, where he claimed police officers, acting under Coleman’s orders, opened fire on unarmed civilians, killing several people.
Massaquoi did not spare the Liberia National Police, accusing it of harboring criminal elements within its ranks. He singled out Assistant Commissioner for Crime Services Johnny Bolar Dean and Deputy Chief Investigator Sam Ballah, alleging that both officials had previously been dismissed for serious crimes, including murder, armed robbery, and corruption, only to be reinstated under the current administration. He warned that their continued presence in leadership positions undermined public trust in law enforcement.
EPS Director Sam Gaye also came under scrutiny, with Massaquoi accusing him of overseeing a covert unit tasked with targeting political opponents. He claimed that ex-combatants had been recruited into a so-called “killing squad” operating under Gaye’s authority. He further criticized the recent changes to the president’s motorcade policies, arguing that forcing ambulances, motorcycles, taxis, and tricycles off the road whenever the presidential convoy moves was an abuse of power intended to intimidate citizens.
The CDC-COP chairperson issued a warning to the government, stating that if the security chiefs were not dismissed within 72 hours, the party would take matters into its own hands. He declared that the CDC, through its National Chair, Atty. Augustus Janga Kowo, would establish an independent security force, which he referred to as the “CDC Police,” to provide protection for party members. He argued that this would be necessary to prevent what he described as ongoing state-sponsored violence against CDC supporters.
Massaquoi accused the Boakai administration of weakening national security through neglect and poor leadership. He claimed that EPS officers assigned to protect the president were underpaid and often resorted to begging for as little as US$5 to sustain themselves. He argued that this situation made Boakai one of the most vulnerable leaders in the world, warning that his security personnel might ultimately abandon him in times of crisis.
In a further escalation, the CDC-COP chairperson vowed to push for international sanctions against Johnson, Gaye, and Coleman if their demands were ignored. He insisted that any sanctions imposed should extend beyond the officials themselves to their families, associates, and financial supporters. Massaquoi warned that the group would use every available means to hold the security officials accountable for their alleged actions.
“The time for impunity is over,” he declared, insisting that the government could no longer ignore the widespread grievances against its security apparatus. He called on CDC supporters to remain vigilant and prepare for mass action if the administration failed to comply with the ultimatum.
