It can be recalled that since the declaration of the three-weeks state of emergency made by President George M. Weah on April 8, 2020, to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Liberia, there has been a lot of concerns from citizens regarding security institutions that comprises of the joint security and mandated to enforce the state of emergency.
Dennis Clay (Pen Name)
Few non-paramilitary institutions including the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) & Paynesville City Corporation City Police, Scout Association and Motorcyclist Union has been the centered of discussions, based on their unlawful enforcement of the President’s mandate, and harassment of citizens in communities as claimed by citizens. Irrespective of provisions by law that created these non-paramilitary institutions, their mandate does not exceed to the enforcement of a state of emergency.
The National Security Reform and Intelligence Act, 2011 approved on August 31, 2011, published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Liberia and printed into handbill on September 8, 2011, contain provisions that clearly outline the names of joint security institutions in Liberia and their mandates.
Section 2(b) of the act dubbed: “SECURITY INSTITUTIONS AS RECOGNISED UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHITECTURE” affirm the Statutory Law Enforcement Agencies in Liberia and their respective mandate. These law enforcement agencies clearly mentioned under Section 2(b) include: The Liberia National Police including the National Police Training Academy; the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Fire Services, the National Security Agency and the Special Security Services (now replaced with the Executive Protection Service in the Act). Apart from these institutions, the AFL is the national army and usually coordinates with joint security.
There isn’t a section in the act that speaks about the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and Paynesville City Corporation city police, boy scouts and motorcycle union being a part of the joint security. Therefore, the MCC and PCC City Police, boy scouts and motorcycle union should not be allowed to carry out enforcement of the state of emergency because they are not part of the joint security under the law.
The joint security is comprised of all paramilitary institutions that are supervised by the Ministry of Justice, the head of the Ministry of Justice is Cllr. Frank Musa Dean. All other institutions not supervised by the Ministry of Justice or do not fall under the Ministry of Justice excluding the AFL are not part of the joint security. The boy scouts, city police and motorcycle union does not fall under the Ministry of Justice.
In conformity with the National Security Reform and Intelligence Act, 2011, the Liberia National Police Spokesman, Moses Carter in a Facebook live interview with KMTV on April 4, 2020, also stated the names of member institutions of the joint security, and warned the boy scouts and other non-paramilitary institutions found in the habit of setting-up roadblocks, harassing citizens and enforcing the state of emergency to desist from enforcement. “If any Boy Scout caught enforcing the state of emergency such person will be arrested and made to face the full weight of the laws, the process is not open to the motorcycle task force as well because they are not part of the joint security”. Police Spokesman, Moses Carter
However, he emphasized the role of the city police during the state of emergency “The city police are only allowed to carry out their normal city ordinance functions during the SOE and nothing else. They have their own normal co-functions that need to be executed outside of the state of emergency mandate and that must be respected by all Liberians” Police Spokesman, Moses Carter
Authorization by the Ministry of Information via a press release issued on April 14, 2020, allowing the MCC and PCC city police to carryout enforcement of the SOE is a complete contradiction and violation of the National Security Reform and Intelligence Act, 2011 because the MCC & PCC is not recognized under the act. Moreover, these institutions are not part of the MoJ recognized security apparatus by law and do not report to the Ministry of Justice. These institutions should only remain executing their normal city ordinance duties.
Additionally, during the state of emergency, the joint security needs to remain more peaceful, focused on duty and avoids the use of excessive force; while citizens need to respect officers, fully adhere to the state of emergency mandate and adhere to the MoH, NPHIL and WHO approved preventive measures.
Thanks to the joint security so far for service to the nation, and the government for actions taken to combat Covid19. I look forward to more peaceful and coordinated enforcement of the state of emergency mandate.