Bong County – Two Burkinabé nationals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an illegal gold mining operation uncovered in Gbankonah, District 4, Bong County.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
The suspects, identified as 44-year-old Harouna Ouedraogo and 42-year-old Barchezu Sorie, were apprehended during a joint security operation led by Bong County Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris, County Attorney Jonathan Flomo, and Police Commander Farsu V. Sheriff. Ouedraogo resides in the Millionaire Quarter Community in Gbarnga, while Sorie lives in Bleh Village.
According to authorities, the two men played key roles in the unlicensed mining activity, which involved the use of toxic, unregulated chemicals, raising serious concerns about environmental and public health risks.
Superintendent Norris described the discovery as alarming during a press briefing in Gbarnga. “The chemicals being used are extremely dangerous. We cannot allow our environment and people to be exposed to such risks for illegal profits,” she said.
Mining equipment, including water pumps and batteries, was seized from the site. Chemical samples collected have undergone preliminary testing, which confirmed the presence of hazardous substances.
Police Commander Sheriff stated that most of the individuals at the site were foreign nationals from Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali, many of whom lacked proper immigration documentation. One of the suspects was in possession of a Burkinabé passport, now in the custody of immigration authorities.
County Attorney Flomo said the suspects initially claimed to be farmers but were clearly involved in a larger illegal mining network. “This is a coordinated operation involving multiple individuals, not an isolated case,” he said.
Local authorities are calling for a full-scale national investigation and are urging collaboration among the Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Liberia Immigration Service, and the Liberia National Police.
The suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue. Officials say further arrests are expected as the crackdown on illegal mining expands across the county.
