GBARNGA – The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) has commenced a three-day capacity-building seminar for senior officers, running from September 30 to October 2 at the Gbarnga Regional Justice and Security Hub in Bong County.

The seminar brings together senior officers, including directors, sectional heads, regional commanders and county commanders, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen leadership, accountability and professional standards within the Service.

The training is being held under the theme:, “Leading with Integrity: Strengthening Accountability, Professionalism, and the Fight Against Corruption.”

The seminar is expected to provide participants with an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, promote accountability, strengthen professionalism and reinforce the Service’s commitment to combating corruption.

The initiative forms part of the Liberia Immigration Service’s continuing efforts to build a more accountable, professional and effective institution in the discharge of its immigration and national security responsibilities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, September 30 at the Gbarnga Regional Justice and Security Hub, LIS Deputy Commissioner General for Administration, Nelsco Aleo Wolo, welcomed the senior officers to the training.

Deputy Commissioner General Wolo said the training is intended to strengthen the capacity of senior officers and deepen their understanding of the importance of effective leadership in contemporary security management.

According to him, the training reflects the LIS’s commitment to maintaining high standards in the discharge of its responsibilities.

He emphasized that leading by example is essential to effective service delivery, urging senior officers to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and accountability in the performance of their duties.

Deputy Commissioner General Wolo also addressed a wide range of challenges confronting the Liberia Immigration Service and encouraged the participants to use the training as an opportunity to reflect on their responsibilities and identify practical ways to improve institutional performance.

For his part, the LIS Deputy Commissioner General for Operations, Kundukai Jaleiba, urged participants to take the capacity-building exercise seriously and make full use of the knowledge and skills gained during the seminar.

Meanwhile, the three-day seminar is expected to conclude on Friday, October 2.

Inspector General Gregory O.W. Coleman has launched a new Liberia National Police recruitment exercise, framing it as central to nearly two decades of post-war security sector reform. The drive echoes past campaigns going back to a 2007 UNMIL-backed push for female recruits, and revives familiar goals: closing the police-to-population gap, replacing an aging workforce, and lifting women’s representation toward a 33 percent target from the current 21 percent. Coleman also pledged the process would be merit-based and free of bribery, as the force seeks roughly $12 million to add 1,500 officers ahead of the 2029 elections.

By Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia- Liberia’s police force is opening its doors to a new generation of officers, with the Liberia National Police (LNP) launching a recruitment exercise this week that officials describe as central to consolidating nearly two decades of security sector reform.

Speaking at the launch, Inspector General of Police Gregory O.W. Coleman told an audience of government officials, international partners, security sector representatives and civil society leaders that the drive is not simply about growing headcount. “Our objective is not simply to increase the size of the police service,” he said. “It is to strengthen an institution that is already serving the Liberian people and make it more representative, inclusive, accessible, responsive and effective.”

A FORCE STILL REBUILDING

The LNP’s story is inseparable from Liberia’s post-war history. Formed in 1956, the force was gutted during back-to-back civil wars that ended in 2003, and much of its modern rebuilding took place under the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which helped restructure and retrain the LNP alongside Liberian authorities in the years that followed.

That rebuilding produced a string of recruitment drives. In 2007, UNMIL and the LNP relaunched a campaign specifically targeting female applicants, after the force fell short of a 3,500-officer recruitment goal. At the time, then-LNP Director Beatrice Munah Sieh — the first woman to head the force — pointed to a persistent obstacle: “The Police remain unattractive to the public due to low salary, incentives, and negative perceptions.” UN officials framed the push as part of a broader democratic transformation, with then-Deputy Special Representative Luiz Carlos da Costa arguing that “sustainable peace is founded on the bedrock of a genuinely democratic law enforcement agency.”

Nearly two decades on, the LNP has grown into a force of roughly 4,100 officers operating 151 stations nationwide, contributing personnel to UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and taking on a widening set of responsibilities — from gender-based violence response to counter-narcotics and, increasingly, cyber-enabled crime.

OLD PROBLEMS, NEW URGENCY

But many of the same pressures that drove earlier recruitment pushes remain. Coleman has told lawmakers the force needs roughly $12 million to recruit and train 1,500 additional officers, citing manpower shortages that officials want addressed before the 2029 general and presidential elections. In late 2024, Coleman also announced a shift in recruitment strategy — enlisting officers from within their own counties rather than assigning Monrovia-trained recruits to rural posts, a practice he said had proven ineffective because transferred officers “end up struggling to return to their families.”

That county-based approach echoes through this week’s launch remarks, in which Coleman singled out Liberia’s police-to-population ratio as a priority. Rural and hard-to-reach communities, he said, stand to benefit most from a larger, more locally rooted workforce, while an aging cohort of veteran officers approaching retirement adds urgency to building a pipeline of new recruits who can absorb their institutional knowledge before it is lost.

GENDER AT THE CENTER

If the 2007 drive marked the LNP’s first major push for female recruits, this exercise sets a firmer benchmark. Coleman said the force is currently at a roughly 21-to-79 ratio of women to men and is targeting 33 percent female representation, framing the goal as part of the reform agenda under President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s administration.
Coleman was careful to frame gender-responsive policing as more than a recruitment target. It means, he said, recognizing that “women, men, girls and boys may experience crime, violence and insecurity differently,” and removing the barriers — including harassment and discrimination within the ranks — that keep women from applying, staying and rising through leadership.

GUARDING AGAINST CORRUPTION

Coleman also used the launch to draw a hard line against a problem that has dogged public hiring processes in Liberia before: the buying and selling of positions. “No applicant should pay money to secure a place in the Liberia National Police,” he said, warning that anyone caught selling recruitment forms, exam results or job offers would be investigated. Candidates, he said, will be assessed strictly against published requirements — character, education, physical and medical fitness.

WHAT COMES NEXT

Officials are casting the recruitment drive as one piece of a larger institutional rebuild that also depends on training, logistics, welfare systems and accountability structures — pieces that outside donors have historically helped fund. Coleman thanked international partners for continued support and said Liberia is looking to deepen that cooperation on training, infrastructure and technology as the new recruits move through the pipeline.

Whether this drive succeeds where earlier ones fell short of their targets may hinge on the same issues officials flagged nearly twenty years ago: pay, working conditions and public perception of the job. For now, Coleman is appealing directly to the next generation of applicants, urging “qualified women and men of good character” from every county to come forward — a call that will be tested in the weeks ahead as recruitment offices open and the force works to convert launch-day rhetoric into filled positions.

GREENVILLE, Sinoe County — The Armed Forces of Liberia wants women in one of every five uniformed posts, a target that would require nearly tripling their share of the force, and it took that recruitment drive to Sinoe County.

Women make up about 7.5 percent of the AFL, and the government’s goal is 20 percent, according to Junior Aloysius Morris, senior policy analyst at the Ministry of National Defense, who is traveling with the outreach team.

The five-member team includes two enlisted women, Sgt. [Patricia Lincoln] and Sgt. Newton L. Newton, who are talking to women in the county about enlistment requirements, career paths and the work soldiers do. Also on the team are Morris; Boyee S. Mussah, the AFL public relations officer; and Menicond B. Yarkpazna, junior policy analyst at the Ministry of National Defense.

The team is pointing women toward professional training, promotion into leadership and selection for United Nations peacekeeping deployments, which carry allowances and overseas service that few other public-sector jobs in Liberia offer. 

The gap the campaign is trying to close is wide and has narrowed slowly. Women hold 11.5 percent of officer positions and 7.1 percent of enlisted positions, according to the project documentation. The Gender and Security Sector National Taskforce put women at 3 percent of the AFL in 2017, then the lowest share of any Liberian security institution, meaning the force has added roughly four and a half percentage points in about nine years.

The Sinoe outreach falls under a project the Ministry of National Defense and the AFL launched with UN Women on Feb. 9, 2026, titled “Strengthening Armed Forces of Liberia’s women active participation in peace and security through deployment to peacekeeping missions,” financed by the Elsie Initiative Fund. Beyond recruitment, the project funds pre-deployment preparation for female and male soldiers, including basic computer training, and public campaigns intended to counter the view of soldiering as men’s work.

The effort rests on an assessment the AFL ran in September 2022 using the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance’s Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations methodology, which examined what inside the institution keeps women from being deployed. The project is also framed against U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for more women in the institutions that prevent and settle conflict and in U.N. field operations.

The campaign is designed to reach all 15 counties, grouped into four regions, in phases determined by recruitment potential, population, the presence of secondary schools and universities, and how easily the team can move. Alongside community meetings, the campaign is to run through schools, universities, county authorities, religious leaders and women’s organizations.

Neither the ministry nor the AFL has said what the enlistment numbers from the campaign have been so far, or by what year it expects to reach 20 percent.

Yekepa, Nimba County — ArcelorMittal Liberia has graduated and certified security personnel following the successful completion of a specialized security training program facilitated by the Liberia National Police Academy and Training School (LNPATS), marking another milestone in the company’s continued investment in building the capacity of Liberian employees.

The official graduation and certification ceremony, held at the AML Training Academy in Yekepa, Nimba County, brought together AML management, senior officials of the Liberia National Police (LNP), security professionals, and graduates who completed more than three months of intensive training focused on strengthening leadership, supervisory competence, accountability, and operational effectiveness.

The training formed part of AML’s broader commitment to developing local talent and strengthening professional standards, consistent with commitments made during discussions surrounding the company’s Phase Two Expansion Agreement.

Providing an overview of the program, AML Superintendent for Security Services and Compliance, Vivian Barbour, said the training was designed to enhance the capacity of the company’s security team through specialized programs aimed at improving leadership and operational readiness.

Barbour said the training covered “dedication of duty and accountability, communication, and management control,” with the goal of building “a responsive, composed, and disciplined security force aligned with AML’s safety and compliance objectives.”

Liberia National Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman, serving as keynote speaker, praised the partnership between AML and the LNP.

“It is an honor to join you this evening as we celebrate the successful completion of this Security Training and Recognition Program,” Coleman said. “Today, we recognize more than the completion of a training program; we affirm a shared commitment to professionalism, safety, partnership, and national development.”

He congratulated the graduates, saying their completion reflected “a willingness to grow professionally and to contribute meaningfully to the safety of your organization, your communities, and our country.”

Coleman highlighted AML’s role in Liberia’s economy, noting that through investments, employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and community engagement initiatives, the company continues to contribute to national growth.

“ArcelorMittal Liberia occupies a strategic place within our national economy,” he said.

He emphasized that protecting strategic investments is a shared responsibility.

“The protection of such strategic investments is not solely the responsibility of ArcelorMittal Liberia. It is a national responsibility shared by government institutions, security agencies, local communities, and all stakeholders who have a vested interest in the continued development of our country,” Coleman stated.

Speaking on Liberia’s investment climate, Coleman said: “For Liberia to be truly open for business, investors must have confidence. For confidence to take root, communities must be peaceful. And for development to endure, security must be reliable.”

He encouraged graduates to apply their training with “integrity, discipline, vigilance, professionalism, respect for the rule of law, and respect for the rights of all persons.”

AML Chief Executive Officer praised the graduates and recognized their commitment throughout the program.

“I am very, very proud to see so many young men and women here taking up the stars, being proud of being trained up, being able to further themselves into their careers,” the CEO said.

He congratulated participants for successfully completing the training and praised their professionalism.

The AML CEO also recalled advice from Inspector General Coleman on the importance of community engagement.

“He said to me, don’t call me to come and protect your things if you don’t put in effort to look after the communities. That’s where the first protection starts,” he said.

He added that AML remains committed to ensuring employees and contractors understand their role in supporting Liberia’s development.

“We want our employees, everyone, and the contractors who work for us, to be true patriots. We want you to love your country. We also want you to love the company, because that goes hand in hand,” he stated.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants, recognizing their successful completion of the specialized security training program.

The initiative reflects AML’s continued investment in Liberian talent development, professional growth, and capacity building, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to creating a skilled workforce capable of supporting safe, responsible, and sustainable operations in Liberia.

ABUJA, Nigeria – A former Liberian parliamentarian, Retired Colonel Jimmy W. Smith, has called for regional collaborations in the fight against cybercrimes and disinformation across Africa.  He spoke recently at the 8^th conference for the Network of African Parliamentarians on Defense and Security committees (REPAM-CDS) in Abuja, Nigeria. Colonel Smith, who is an esteemed security professional, called on his regional compatriots to collectively commit to resolve the growing security threats through cooperative action and strategic planning.

“From hack-and-leak operations on manipulated data to website defacements spreading geopolitical and terrorist propaganda, the convergence of cyber-crimes and harmful contents especially disinformation is an established threat that requires a collaborative and holistic response. There’s no country that’s too small to be victim of cyber-crime and the damage of disinformation; therefore, while am on the leadership at this continental institution, it’s also my inherent responsibility to support all member states especially Liberia,” former Representative Smith stated.

Africa has emerged as a prominent hub for cybercrime activities. This continent, known for its high internet usage and mobile connectivity, has seen an increase in cyber related crimes.

“Today, as we converge here in the spirit of Pan-African accord, we must collectively commit to resolve through cooperative actions and strategic planning. This commitment involves a unified approach where governments, organizations, businesses, and individuals working together, leveraging evidence, innovation, and a shared vision to create lasting solutions and a more sustainable and equitable future for Africa,” the former lawmaker added further.

Serving as moderator of the 3rd panel discussion (on challenges related to cyber-crime and disinformation, use of new technologies to strengthen national security, and the role of parliamentarians in regulation legal frameworks), he emphasized the need for more budgetary support especially for national security institutions across the continent, especially as countries are transitioning from the use of conventional Infantry warfare to the use of cyber and technological devices during combats. 

Despite his loss in the 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections, Smith, the immediate past representative of Montserrado County’s Electoral District #2 and also the former 3rd Vice President of the Network of African Parliamentarians on Defense and Security Committees (REPAM-CDS) recently got overwhelmingly elected as an Honorary Member of the continental body. Former Representative Smith’s colleagues described him as a “valuable asset and expert” at the Network.

For his part, the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, while addressing the 8th conference of the Network of African Parliamentarians for Defense and Security and Committees emphasized the need for stronger coordination, information sharing, and legislative action to address Africa’s security and development challenges. 

He also advocated for reducing dependence on Western powers and harnessing the continent’s resources for self-reliance, a view strongly shared by the Director General of the Counter-Terrorism Center of Nigeria, Major-General Adamu Garba Laka and the current President of the Network of African Parliamentarians on Defense and Security Committee (REPAM-CDS), Ahmed Satomi, who also is Nigeria’s Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

Monrovia, Liberia – Major and Attorney-at-Law Danicious Kwia has returned to Liberia following the successful completion of his assignment as a United Nations Military Observer with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). His tour of duty lasted from October 27, 2023, to May 10, 2025.

Patience Jones, contributing writer

A highly decorated officer with over 19 years of service in the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Major Kwia returns home with a wealth of experience and accomplishments from his international peacekeeping mission. During his time with UNMISS, he played a pivotal role in supporting the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. He worked closely with local stakeholders in Jonglei State to enhance community security and promote lasting peace.

In recognition of his professionalism and leadership, Major Kwia was appointed Focal Person for Electoral Affairs among United Nations Military Observers (UNMOs) in Jonglei. In this role, he coordinated election-related activities and earned a Certificate in Elections Management from BRIDGE, a UK-based NGO specializing in electoral processes.

Major Kwia’s return marks the continuation of a distinguished career in both the military and legal arenas. Prior to his assignment in South Sudan, he served as Battle Captain with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) from 2019 to 2021, where he supported command operations and coordinated intelligence and mission execution within the Tactical Operations Center.

Over his nearly two-decade military career, Major Kwia has held several high-profile positions, including Military Police Commander, Provost Marshal General, and currently serves as Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces of Liberia. In this role, he spearheads legal reforms, trains military personnel on compliance and standards, and provides legal guidance on bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding. He is widely respected for his commitment to military justice and institutional integrity.

Major Kwia’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia (2018) and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University College (1999). He also holds a WAEC certificate and high school diploma from William V.S. Tubman High School.

His military education includes training from several prestigious institutions across the globe:

• Master of Science in Military Management, Nanjing Army Command College, China (2013)
• Operational Planning Certificate (Junior Staff Course), Horton Academy, Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (2011)
• Public Sector Management Certificate, University of Sierra Leone
• Company Commander Course Certificate, Rwanda Military Academy – Gako (2010)
• Military Police Basic Leadership Course, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, USA (2008)
• Platoon Leadership Course, Fort Benning, Georgia, USA (2007–2008)
• Officer Candidate School, Barclay Training Center, Liberia (2007)
• Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course (BNCOC), BTC (2007)
• Initial Entry and Advanced Individual Training, BTC (2006)

In addition to his military and legal contributions, Major Kwia has supported national reconciliation efforts, serving as a Human Rights Mapping Statement Taker during the establishment of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He has also worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Vision International on peacebuilding and psychosocial counseling initiatives.

Major Kwia’s return from South Sudan underscores his steadfast commitment to national and international service. As a soldier, lawyer, peacekeeper, and advocate for justice, his career stands as a testament to his dedication to humanity and the rule of law.

BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa County – The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), under the leadership of Acting Commissioner-General Hon. Elijah F. Rufus, has commenced a one-week in-house retreat aimed at strengthening the institution’s operations and strategic planning. 

The retreat, which began on June 7, is being held at the LIS Administrative Building in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, and is scheduled to conclude on June 14.

This initiative marks a significant step in the new administration’s commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of the LIS. The retreat brings together key personnel, including the Commissioner-General, deputy commissioners, directors, sectional heads, and senior officers, to engage in intensive working sessions focused on reviewing and refining the institution’s policies and five-year work plan.

The primary objective of the retreat is to address both challenges and achievements within the LIS, ensuring that the agency remains responsive to its mandate of safeguarding Liberia’s territorial boundaries. Discussions are centered around critical areas such as finance, procurement, fleet management, welfare, logistics, and human resources, among others.

According to information from the LIS administration, this retreat is the first of its kind in several years, reflecting the new leadership’s dedication to institutional evaluation and improvement. 

The comprehensive review aims to align the LIS’s operations with best practices and legal requirements, thereby enhancing its capacity to effectively execute its responsibilities.

The retreat’s location in Buchanan, the capital of Grand Bassa County, underscores the LIS’s commitment to decentralizing its activities and fostering a closer connection with regional operations. By conducting this retreat outside the capital, the LIS aims to promote inclusivity and ensure that all officers, regardless of their station, are engaged in the strategic planning process.

As the retreat progresses, the LIS anticipates developing a refined strategic framework that will guide the institution’s operations over the next five years. This initiative is expected to bolster the LIS’s capacity to manage immigration processes, enforce border security, and contribute to national development through enhanced operational effectiveness.

Monrovia – The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has launched ‘Operation True Guardian,’ a military operation aimed at enhancing national security and strengthening Liberia’s border and coastal defenses. 

By Yaway Jaivey, yawah.jaivey@frontpageafricaonline.com

The operation began on March 23, 2025, with AFL personnel deployed to the western counties of Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu to conduct security patrols.

In a statement released on Monday, the AFL outlined that the operation would involve quarterly patrols across the country, focusing on improving border security, maritime surveillance, and combating illegal activities such as transnational crime, drug trafficking, and smuggling.

The AFL says it plans to establish Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in these areas and collaborate closely with local government officials, law enforcement, and communities to address security challenges.

“Operation True Guardian aims to enhance the AFL’s readiness to secure Liberia’s borders, prevent maritime crimes, and maintain internal stability,” the statement said. “The initiative will also foster cooperation between the military, local communities, and other security agencies.”

The AFL highlighted concerns about rising cross-border smuggling, the trafficking of drugs and arms, and the potential threats to national security posed by these illegal activities.

The Minister of National Defense and the Chief of Staff of the AFL emphasized the importance of coordinated and ongoing patrols to address these security challenges, with plans to extend the operation to other regions on a quarterly basis.

MONROVIA, Liberia—U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) hosted a pivotal country coordination meeting in Monrovia, Liberia, bringing together senior representatives from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and various U.S. Department of Defense entities.

The event marked a significant step in strengthening the longstanding defense partnership between Liberia and the United States.

The U.S. delegation was led by U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Shawn Holtz, the USAFRICOM Deputy Director for strategy, engagements, and programs.

Brig. Gen. Holtz was joined by key U.S. Defense officials, while the Liberian side was headed by AFL Chief of Staff Brigadier General Davidson F. Forleh.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, the inaugural meeting focused on reinforcing the historical ties between the two nations, with discussions centered on a range of regional security issues.

Among the key topics addressed were border security, maritime security, countering violent extremist organizations, and the impact of climate change on security in the region.

The meeting served as an important platform for both sides to synchronize ongoing efforts and identify new opportunities for cooperation, particularly in training initiatives and joint participation in U.S. military exercises.

Both delegations expressed mutual commitment to enhancing the security landscape of the region through collaborative efforts.

During the meeting, Brig. Gen. Holtz and Brig. Gen. Forleh reaffirmed the strong and enduring defense partnership between Liberia and the United States.

U.S. officials also expressed appreciation for Liberia’s significant contributions to regional peacekeeping missions, particularly its role in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which the country supported from 2013 until its conclusion in 2023.

In addition to the coordination meeting, Brig. Gen. Holtz took the opportunity to hold courtesy calls with key Liberian defense leaders, including the Military Advisor to the President, the Deputy Minister of Defense for Administration, and the AFL Chief of Staff.

The successful event further solidified the commitment between Liberia and the United States to address shared security challenges and advance stability across the West African region.

MONROVIA- The Liberia National Fire and Rescue service (LNFRS) has made advancement in mainstreaming gender in its plan to facilitate the promotion of gender equality and women’s participation in the security sector.

The LNFRS with support from UN Women over the weekend launched the Liberia National Fire Service gender policy department for the first time in existence.

The Director of the LNFRS, Alex Dickson launching the policy, said since the establishment of the fire service in 1948, the sector has never had a female being included on the table of decision making.

He said since his appointment as head of the fire service, he has been instrumental in shifting the paradigm of the fire service through women promotion and participation in decision making and with that, he has appointed the first female Assistant Director of Administration, Col. Barclay.

“Today we have come this far through the effort of UN Women to facilitate the promotion of gender equality and equal rights. Looking at the rights of women and their effort in the security sector, I remain committed to promote women in the security sector in their service to country,” Dickson said as he launched the LNFRS gender policy.

In remark, Pamela Mkwamba, the Deputy Country Representative of UN Women lauded the fire service boss and his team for their level of commitment in promoting gender equality and assured UN Women’s commitment to partner with the Liberia National Fire Service to improve the sector.

“Liberia’s second phase of the National Action Plan on women, peace and security clearly calls for the integration of gender into security institutions and with the LNFRS being no exception. I am happy that you have taken the first step towards achieving this goal through the creation of a gender and social inclusion department and development of gender policy and action plan,” Ms. Mkwamba said.