GANTA, Nimba County — Two Pilot security officers were hospitalized on Friday, August 14 after allegedly being poisoned during a burglary at the Conex (formerly Total) Gas Station in Ganta City, Nimba County.
By D. Franklin Doloquee
The injured officers, identified as Stanley Gbatu, 39, and Jeremiah Dorror Boakai, 38, were on duty when unknown assailants reportedly offered them food and drinks.
The men became ill after consuming the items and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Pilot Security is owned by former head of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency(LDEA) Abraham Kromah.
Station staff say the burglars forced entry into the Conex Compound and stole a substantial amount of cash.
Ganta police have opened an investigation, but no arrests have been announced.
Business owners and residents say this is the eighth reported burglary in Ganta in less than three years.
The recent string of incidents has heightened fears among traders and raised concerns about public safety in the commercial district.
Several business owners in Ganta alleged a pattern in which perpetrators give substances to security personnel on duty before committing thefts.
They say other establishments, including SP Gas Station have been targeted in similar incidents over the past three years, with no arrests reported.
Gbatu and Boakai remain under medical care and have not yet spoken publicly about the incident.
Meanwhile, criminal activity in Ganta continues to worry local traders and residents.
