By Socrates Smythe Saywon | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – Tensions between the Liberia National Police (LNP) and Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) Chairman Mulbah Morlu escalated on Saturday, July 18, 2026, after armed police officers surrounded Morlu’s residence, hours before he was expected to appear before the Paynesville Magisterial Court to surrender a firearm at the center of a growing political and security controversy.
The development came less than 24 hours after the Liberia National Police declared Morlu “armed and dangerous” and ordered him to immediately surrender a police-issued firearm allegedly seized during Friday’s “Lead or Leave” protest against President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration.
Police said it had received credible intelligence indicating that a firearm seized from a police officer during the protest could be used for “unlawful and nefarious purposes,” prompting the force to issue a public warning and call for the immediate recovery of the weapon.
The LNP also directed its officers and other security personnel not to engage Morlu alone, instructing them to notify appropriate command authorities to ensure any response was conducted in accordance with established rules of engagement, the law, and police procedures.
However, Morlu rejected the police characterization of events, accusing Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman of using state security forces to intimidate political opponents while failing to aggressively pursue individuals linked to Liberia’s controversial US$19 million cocaine trafficking case.
Before heading to court on Saturday morning, Morlu issued a strongly worded response after police surrounded his residence.
“Gregory Coleman, you are a coward who protects drug dealers while harming innocent citizens. I will never fear a lawless police commander like you even if you bring war tanks to surround my home,” Morlu stated.
The STAND Chairman argued that the police deployment outside his home demonstrated what he described as misplaced priorities by the government.
“Barricading my house with armed police only confirms that yesterday’s peaceful protest struck a nerve by exposing the drug cartel you are alleged to be protecting,” he said.
Morlu questioned why security forces were surrounding his residence instead of targeting individuals accused of involvement in the drug trafficking investigation.
“Instead of surrounding my home with armed officers after your failed attempt to intimidate and harm peaceful protesters yesterday, why didn’t you deploy those same officers to surround the homes of the US$19 million drug traffickers who continue to be protected and treated like honorable citizens they’re not?” he asked.
The STAND leader maintained that the firearm did not belong to him and accused the police of attempting to create a false narrative that protesters were armed.
According to Morlu, the weapon was seized from a plain-clothes police officer who allegedly infiltrated the demonstration while pretending to be a STAND supporter.
“The man you are calling an officer at yesterday’s protest was found deep inside the protest, pretending to be a STAND protester, while carrying a loaded firearm, dressed in civilian clothes, with no police uniform and no visible identification,” Morlu claimed.
He said STAND’s crowd control team discovered the individual, safely disarmed him without violence, and prevented what he described as a possible deadly incident.
Morlu further stated that the weapon would be surrendered publicly before independent witnesses, including members of the media, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and representatives of the international community.
“The only firearm connected to yesterday’s protest is the one carried by your disguised rogue officer. As I promised yesterday, I will hand it over this morning at 10:00 a.m. in full view of the press,” he said.
He explained that he deliberately refused to surrender the weapon at night, insisting that the transfer should take place during daylight hours to guarantee transparency.
“I made it clear that I would not hand over a firearm at night. Now that it is daylight, I will do exactly what I said I would do, hand it over in front of witnesses,” Morlu added.
Morlu also accused the government of attempting to silence opposition voices through intimidation, making further allegations against state security authorities that have not been independently verified.
“If you or Joe Boakai intends to kill me like you allegedly murdered Matthew Mulbah and the Kinjor protesters, it will be in broad daylight where I will see the face of the assassin who pulls the trigger,” Morlu said.
The STAND Chairman vowed that his movement against the government would continue, declaring that the July 17 protest represented a broader campaign rather than a single event.
“July 17 is a movement, not a date, and it continues until the cartel is dismantled brick by brick,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police has maintained that its actions were based on credible intelligence and public safety concerns.
In its Friday statement, the LNP said it had information suggesting that the firearm recovered from the police officer during the protest was intended for unlawful purposes and that Morlu was believed to be in possession of the weapon.
The police subsequently declared Morlu armed and dangerous and urged members of the public not to approach or attempt to apprehend him.
The LNP instructed officers who may encounter Morlu to avoid engaging him alone and instead seek support through proper command channels.
The police also issued a final warning for the immediate surrender of the firearm, stating that failure to comply would result in lawful measures being taken to recover the weapon and hold responsible persons accountable.
The confrontation between Morlu and the police has intensified debate over public safety, political rights, and the handling of opposition protests under the Boakai administration.
As Morlu proceeded toward the Paynesville Magisterial Court to surrender the firearm, attention remained focused on whether authorities would pursue further action against him and how investigators would establish the circumstances surrounding the weapon’s presence during Friday’s protest.
