-Amid COVID-19 lockdown and State Of Emergency
By Allen P. Lablah, lallenpaye@yahoo.com
SANNIQUELLIE, Liberia –TheCommander of the Liberia National Police Detachment in the northeastern Nimba County has called on citizens not to panic, as his officers stand to promote professionalism in discharging their duties.
Police Commander Leo Augustine Warri assured that the police will be more professional in performing their duties and responsibilities in the period of the state of emergency in Nimba County.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police made the disclosure to Nimba News Public Trust Correspondence at the weekend in Sanniquellie City, Nimba County.
Commissioner Warri said while it is true that the security apparatus will act professionally during the state of emergency time, citizens also need to cooperate with them in implementing the state of emergency ‘’lockdown’’ order.
He maintains that the security apparatus in Nimba County has no intention to violently implement the State of emergency declared by the President.
According to Commissioner Warri, state security apparatus enforcing the lockdown order are in no way against civilians, but rather protecting their lives against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
The Nimba County Police Commander however expressed some level of frustration over the misbehavior of some individuals and communities by not adhering to the stay-at-home order.
‘’As security personnel remain committed and generous in discharging their duties, I am also urging our good and law abiding citizens to be peaceful,’’ Commander Warri asserted.
He indicated that the coronavirus pandemic has no border and as such securities even enforcing the state of emergency are at high risk.
‘’What we want our people to understand here is that state of emergency is not a joke and let all of us refrain from violence and adhere to the president lockdown mandate,’’ said commissioner Police Commander Warri.
Addition to, the Deputy Police Commissioner stressed that there will constant patrol by the security forces in Nimba Communities without fear will be reinforced.
However, there have been counterviews from citizens, who are accusing security the apparatus of abusing peaceful residents from between 7:00 PM-10PM GMT.
The citizens’ voiced out their claims on a live radio phone-in program on two local community radio stations in the Nimba County’s capital, Sanniquellie–Radio Sehnwai and Radio Nimba.
Both stations recently conducted a special program called, ‘’Speak To The Region’’ and ‘’Around Nimba’’.
These programs give the right to community dwellers to express their views freely on what is happening in their various localities during the week.