GBARMA, Gbarpolu County – A government attempt to enforce the nationwide suspension of bush school activities in Gbarpolu County has resulted in violence, injuries, and hostage-taking, as traditional leaders continue to defy the order and clash with state authorities.
Several local officials and citizens, including commissioners, have been forcibly detained by traditional leaders in Central Gbarma, Lower Gbarpolu, amid rising tensions over the government’s directive to suspend Poro and Sande society activities. Many have reportedly been injured, while others are being held captive in traditional bushes.
The situation follows a March 2025 announcement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs suspending all bush school activities for eight months — from April 30, 2025, to January 2026.
The move, part of a cultural reform effort, aims to ensure traditional practices do not interfere with formal education.
While 14 of Liberia’s 15 counties have complied with the suspension, Gbarpolu remains defiant.
Among those briefly held hostage were two police officers and an immigration officer stationed at a joint security checkpoint. The officers were detained in a dilapidated hut and reportedly threatened with being burned alive for being non-members of the traditional society. Their release came after the intervention of Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyamulin.
Minister Nyamulin, who led a delegation to negotiate peace, was forced to retreat after traditionalists refused to cooperate. Over 500 men armed with sticks and machetes blocked the entrance to Central Gbarma, rejecting discussions due to the presence of what they called “non-members,” including women, among the delegation.
“Gbarpolu is the only county refusing to comply,” said Nyamulin, himself a member of the Poro society. “This county has always been a flashpoint. We regret their defiant posture, and this must stop.”
Efforts by Senators Amara Konneh and Botoe Kanneh, as well as local authorities, have so far failed. According to Nyamulin, “The Superintendent, Paramount Chief, and other officials were driven out, and others remain in captivity. The traditional youths are chanting war slogans.”
As the standoff deepens, non-members have begun fleeing Central Gbarma towards the Lofa Bridge, fearing for their safety. Nyamulin has warned of potential violence between residents of Bopolu and Gbarma, should hostilities continue.
“We’re hearing that people from Bopolu are preparing to retaliate,” he said. “If we don’t de-escalate this quickly, it could turn into a full-blown cutlass conflict.”
With peaceful negotiations exhausted, Nyamulin has alerted the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia National Police to provide reinforcements before returning to Gbarma. The government now appears poised to use force to restore order.
Members of the traditional societies argue that their actions are not meant to defy the government but rather to complete the bush school process already underway.
“This is a traditional matter,” said one member. “If we don’t complete the curriculum, people may die — including the chief zoe.”
