Kparblee Town, District Six, Nimba County — Tension erupted in Kparblee Town, District Six, Nimba County after immigration officers allegedly entered nearby bushland late at night and arrested 18 members of the Burkinabe Community who were harvesting cocoa, Town Chief Pastor Jonathan Tei has said.
By Franklin Doloquee / Nimba County
Chief Tei told reporters that the immigration team normally notifies his office and explains their mission when operating in the area, but that did not happen during the operation last Thursday.
Residents said officers entered the forest after dark, rounded up 18 people and brought them back to town.
Several women, including pregnant women — and children fled deeper into the forest and have not returned, the chief said, leaving families fearful and anxious.
“I was not informed. They did not come to my office to tell me the reason for entering the bush,” Chief Tei stated, saying, “If they go on operations here, they should inform me. This time they didn’t, and the people are angry.”
A community outraged
Anger swept through the Burkinabe Community after the arrests. Neighbors described waking to the sound of officers moving through the trees and the sight of frightened villagers being led away in torchlight.
Some sent relatives into the forest to check on women and children, but those searchers reported that the women remained hidden out of fear of further arrests.
Residents also accused immigration officers of a pattern of extortion and intimidation.
They alleged that officers routinely demand money and confiscate cell phones, returning them only after payments reportedly around 4,500 Liberian Dollars or its equivalent in CFA.
Chief Tei claimed the alleged practices have persisted despite repeated local complaints.
“There are several immigration officers working in the area over the years, yet they have not registered or coordinated properly with my office,” he intimated.
“People want fairness. They want a change because of the officers’ behavior.”
Local talks, limited progress
Following the arrests, local leaders and immigration personnel held reconciliation talks.
Chief Tei asserted that both sides acknowledged errors. Immigration officers admitted it was wrong to conduct a night operation without notifying local authorities, while some community members regretted calling for punitive action before all facts were known.
Despite the meeting, frustration remains high. Residents have urged national authorities to replace the immigration team stationed in nearby Bali Town, citing a long record of grievances.
“Bali Town is a peaceful, hospitable community that expects respectful treatment from government officials,” Chief Tei intoned.
He added that limited government services and visible development in the area compounded tensions.
“We see little infrastructure or services from government. Only one private donor recently supplied chairs for community meetings,” the chief said, noting the community’s sense of neglect.
Official responses and disputed details
Attempts to reach officials at the Liberia Immigration Service for comment were unsuccessful up to press time.
Lofa County Border Patrol Commander Amos Smith, however, confirmed to reporters that he led the group involved in the operation and that 18 Burkinabe were arrested in the forest at night.
“We are officers; we don’t have a specific time to do our work, so that causes us to go to the forest at night,” Commander Smith said, adding that the men arrested were taken to the next town while the women and children remained in the forest.
He did not provide details about charges or the location where detainees were held.
Several Kparblee residents, who spoke with FrontPage Africa (FPA), accused immigration officers of routinely confiscating money and phones and returning them only after payment.
Some witnesses alleged that officers have used threats of force to collect cash and phones before releasing people to return to the forest.
One community member estimated that close to L$5 million Liberian dollars has been collected from Burkinabe residents over time through supposed resident permit and registration fees demanded by some immigration personnel.
Residents also claimed that during Thursday’s operation, large sums of money were taken from those arrested before they were released. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Human impact and community fear
The arrests left families unsure where relatives were held and frightened to gather crops in the forest at night. Cocoa farms, a vital source of livelihood for many households, lie scattered through the bush around Kparblee, where narrow footpaths thread between stands of mature trees.
Villagers say the arrests disrupt both economic activity and social life. People avoid the farms after dark, school attendance dips when parents fear travelling at night, and local markets shrink as traders worry about encounters with security personnel.
The chief disclosed that women who fled into the forest face particular hardship.
Pregnant women and small children exposed to rain and insects in dense undergrowth risk health problems if they stay displaced for long.
Church and community leaders have started organizing search parties and bringing limited supplies to those hiding, but travel is slow and dangerous at night.
Calls for accountability
Community leaders have called on the national government to investigate the conduct of the immigration team and to hold any officers accountable if wrongdoing is found.
They also want clearer coordination protocols between immigration units and local chiefs to prevent future surprise operations that inflame tensions.
“It is not enough to apologize after the fact,” Chief Tei uttered, stressing “We need a transparent investigation, better coordination and a change in the behavior of officers who operate here.”
Human-rights groups monitoring the case say prompt and independent inquiries will be essential to restore trust between communities and state security services.
Until authorities clarify the circumstances and address community concerns, residents of Kparblee and surrounding Burkinabe settlements say tensions will likely persist.
