Tappita, Lower Nimba County – Two persons have died in Glan Town District # Nine, Lower Nimba County as a result of violence.
Report by Franklin Doloquee/Nimba County Contributor
The riot led to an arson attack which left four houses burnt and other properties destroyed in Glan Town, a community located in Gbei & Doru.
According to our Nimba County contributor, who visited scene of the fracas, the confusion started during the celebration of New Year’s Day in Glan Town when the two deceased — Eric Dahn and Papie Gbessiegee — were on a drinking table along with other friends when confusion broke out between them (Dahn and Gbessiegee).
Sources narrated that Papie, 36, a citizens of Sialay Town in District # Six, had gone to District # Nine where he joined friends to celebrate the New Year’s Day. It was on the drinking table that he reportedly stabbed Eric, 42, and resident of Glan Town several times after an alleged confusion had broken out between them. Eric was rushed to the Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Tappita but was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Eyewitnesses further told our contributor that when Dahn’s death news reached his friends, his family and other residents of Glan Town, they, in anger, went to the home of Gbessiegee and mobbed him to death. The rioters also allegedly set four houses ablaze, destroyed a number properties and injured several citizens.
Information gathered also indicated that prior to the violent acts, Papie had allegedly threatened to kill Eric, who was a businessman in the area. FrontPageAfrica could not establish immediately why Papie reportedly wanted to Eric dead.
As a result of the violence, which reportedly lasted for two days, a number of Glan Town residents are said to have fled to Ivory Coast for fear of further reprisals. The district in which the town is situated in on the borders with Ivory Coast.
At least, more than eight persons have been arrested by Liberia National Police officers, who had to be brought in from the Gbarnga Regional Hub. The officers had to beef up the strength of their counterparts in Nimba County. The suspects are said to be currently being investigated in Tappita, City Lower Nimba County.
Gbei & Doru is one of the very least developed communities in Lower Nimba County. In time past, its citizens have often cried of neglect by the county authorities. Some of the district’s residents, according to our contributor, have threatened to migrate to Rivercess County, while others have preference for neighboring Ivory Coast.
District # Nine, which has borders with Grand Gedeh, Sinoe and Rivercess Counties doesn’t have the presence of police and other public facilities to boost infrastructure and development for the citizenry there.
In another development, four persons have been found dead in districts # four & five in Nimba County.
Our contributor said the two women were allegedly killed by their men, who accused them of having extra-marital affairs. There are reports that the men later committed suicide in district # 5.
The two women were called Esther Dahn and Princess Dahn; while the two men were Emmanuel Johnson and Samuel Dahn. Meanwhile in District # eight, an old man, identified as Saye Yini, committed suicide.