The Honorable House of Representatives (HOR) has summoned officials from the Ministries of Defense and Justice, the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the Presidential Security Advisor, and the AFL Commander at Roberts International Airport (RIA) for a meeting on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
According to the House’s Press Bureau, these officials are expected to address the deployment of armed AFL officers at RIA during the recent arrival of former President George Manneh Weah.
This decision, made on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, follows a communication from Montserrado County District 9 Representative Frank Saah Foko. He expressed concerns over the significant AFL presence among peaceful citizens welcoming former President Weah at the airport.
“Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, this troubling scene recalls our nation’s dark past when soldiers were unlawfully deployed against rebels. Liberia is currently a peaceful and democratic example in Africa. We are not at war or in a state of emergency, which legally prohibits military action against peaceful citizens simply by greeting their political leader,” Representative Foko stated.
He emphasized that Articles 85 and 86 of the Liberian Constitution govern military deployment during emergencies, prohibiting the use of lethal force against citizens in peacetime. He also referenced the National Defense Act of 2008, which mandates the AFL to defend Liberia’s sovereignty, respond to external threats and natural disasters, and participate in international peacekeeping.
Representative Foko voiced concerns about the AFL’s airport deployment in a non-emergency situation, which instilled fear among citizens. He also highlighted an incident where former President Weah was allegedly denied VIP Lounge access, a courtesy for former heads of state, which Jibrin Ibrahim Barau, First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Commission, raised.
AFL Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Davidson Fayiah Forleh, reported that the AFL detachment commander at RIA acted upon a request from the airport’s security coordinator, without notifying his superior, to support airport security until the arrival of the Liberian National Police (LNP). As a result, the commander has been recalled, and an investigation initiated.
The HOR seeks to address these issues and ensure that such deployments are handled appropriately in the future.
