Sasstown, Bomi County – The alleged shooting incident in Bomi County, which was supposedly a matter of national security, has been swept under the carpet as the government is yet to issue a report, irking some residents of the county.
Report by Edwin g. Genoway – [email protected]
The residents said since the incident, the government has not come up with a definite statement on the issue to clear the doubts of the people living in that part of the country.
Some residents in the county said since the incident, the government has not clarified the rumors swirling in the country.
It is widely reported in the county that it was a makeup story by the government, through the heads of security agencies, to get more money from donors.
But the government of Liberia has rubbished such reports, describing it as not true. Deputy Information Minister Isaac Jackson reacting to the reports said government has no intention to do something of such. Responding to the reports via text message after he was contacted Wednesday, Minister Jack wrote:
“We reject and deny such ill-conceived conspiracy theory. The intervention of the security forces were prompted by an alarm raised by citizens of Bomi. Why will the securities forces want to create panic in Bomi-the claim coming from them is ridiculous and has no origin in truth.”
Recently Bomi County Superintendent Samuel Folley Brown called on citizens of the county to remain calm as security forces investigate the recent shooting incident in the county.
Brown noted that certain people are using the incident to create panic in the county by spreading rumors and falsehood, noting that this is causing panic among residents of the county.
Superintendent Brown made the call when a team of journalists went in the county to do follow up on the alleged shooting and how people are living since the alleged incident.
The Superintendent said there was shooting in the county, but refuted claims of the presence of armed men on the streets of Tubmanburg and that people fled areas where the shooting took place.
According to the Superintendent, the county’s Security Council is working with the national security apparatus to establish the identity of the individual (s) connected to the incident.
He warned those spreading rumors and falsehood about the shooting incident in the county to desist immediately, allowing the state security to do its work.
Residents in the county said they are still afraid to go some parts of the county to carry out their normal farming activities since government has not released any outcome of the investigation.
Mother Siah Momolu of Sass Town, Bomi County, the area where the shooting allegedly took place has alarmed that she cannot go about her normal business on her farm because government has not given her green light.
“I still scary, we heard that it was the government playing tricks to get money so they put people in the bush to make us scare, but we ourselves don’t understand since that time the government not come back to us to tell us to go back on our farm,” she explained.
A youth leader of the county, Musa Sheriff, described the situation as an evil omen to the people of Bomi County.
“If the government truly believes that they are not playing trick let them come up with the findings of the investigation. We are still in panic because our government has not told us anything about that shooting, the only thing we heard from our county leaders was that everything is calm and since then we have heard nothing from them,” he noted
Days after the alleged shooting in Bomi, the Ministry of Information called for a press conference that attracted the attention every media institution in Liberia.
The conference, which was heavily attended by journalists and civil society groups, was rescheduled after journalists waited for over three hours for the Minister of Defense, Brownie Samukai to update the nation.
Since the rescheduling of the conference, the Ministry of Information is yet to disclose the date for a new press conference.
In the absence of the Liberian government’s silence, the Sierra-Leonean Police Director in a statement published in one of the country’s local dailies, Cocorioco online regarding the alleged shooting situation in Liberia by ‘strange gunmen’ on “Fula Hill”, authority of the Sierra Leone Police say it notes with concern information going round in the social media of a pending attack on the State of Sierra Leone making reference of recent shooting in Bomi County by unknown gunmen.
The statement further noted that the information has been assessed and so far no evidence has been established to ascertain the veracity of threats of any attack whatsoever.
“What has so far been found out is that a certain group with arms and blank rounds shooting a film in the interior of Liberia was spotted in the Bomi County without notifying the people of the area. This situation caused fear and panic when photographs of the scene were posted on the social media.
Some ill motivated people have used this incident in Liberia to circulate rumors of pending attacks on Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone Police wishes to assure the general public that there is no evidence to support this claim as security personnel in all areas of the country are on high alert and the security situation is calm and quiet. Members of the public are advised to go about their normal business as there is no cause for alarm.
Two days prior to the alleged shooting in Bomi, Police Director (LNP), Col. C. Clarence Massaquoi, complained about the limited support given to the Police by the Government.
The Police Director further noted that the US$15 million annually allotted to the Police as a national Police force by the central government is indeed inadequate to professionally handle the affairs of the Police.
Speaking on Thursday, August 4, 2016, during the opening session of a 3-day Police internal retreat at the National Police Training Academy (NPTA) in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, Col. Massaquoi said the Police need adequate support in order for them to effectively and efficiently meet up with the statuary mandate of the LNP.
Explaining more of the budgeted US$15M allotted to the Police and its usage, the Liberian Police boss said out of this amount when US$14.5M is subtracted for salary, there will be nothing much left for Police operational efficiency.
Col. Massaquoi also stated that he is not happy about the current status of his men, adding that the LNP have a severe logistical deficit.
“You cannot just take a group of people and sent them in the streets with theories or pens in their pockets. That cannot work. They need the tools to work with. I am happy that our international partners are here today because I want them to hear the problems of the Police. You need to discuss things affecting the Police.
This retreat is not to justify the expenses of the Police because the year is about to end. This retreat is intended to discuss and identify the gaps and the severe deficit in the Police support and the underlying realities,” said Col. Massaquoi.
Barely three days after the Director of Police frowned on the government for lack of support to the Police on Thursday August 4, 2016, on Sunday August 7, 2016 the reported shooting took place in Bomi County thus creating fear among the residents in the County.
With the statement from the Police and the delay by government to release findings on the shooting incident in the county, many are of the belief that the shooting was a makeup by government through the heads of security agencies to get money from donors as support for the security sector.