PHOTO (L-R) Deputy Defense Minister Dixon, Flashback to last EPS shooting of AFL soldier
-Replaying history of 2018
Liberian Defense Ministry Spokesman, Mr. Sam Collins has disputed reports that T. Olandrus Dixon, Deputy Defense Minister for Administration, T. Olandrus Dixon, was “not shot directly“ by President George Weah’s Presidential guard, EPS, the second of similar incidents in many months.
Back in November 2018 there was a clash between EPS agents and some soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex ahead of an international football match between Liberia and Zimbabwe. At the time EPS officer opened fire wounding at least one soldier.
Over the weekend, reports said Deputy Minister Dixon was hit by bullet (s) from one of the officers of the Executive Protection Service as President Weah left a ceremony at the Monrovia City Hall last Thursday.
After the incident, the Deputy Defense Minister was rushed to hospital.
But writing on his Facebook page on Sunday, Assistant Defense Minister for Public Affairs, Collins said:
“The Deputy Minister of National Defense is very stable, contrary to your lies that he was directly shot at. This is official,” the Defense Ministry’s spokesman said.
There were reports earlier that Deputy Minister Dixon sustained bullet wounds in his leg.
But the exact circumstances surrounding the recent shooting still remains unclear.
A Liberian daily, FrontpageAfrica reported on Sunday, November 3, 2019 quoted a security officer who was on the scene of the shooting, Deputy Minister Dickson was not recognized by the EPS officer. “I am told he probably didn’t identify himself and one of President Weah’s EPS officer carrying AK-47, fired multiple shots at the deputy MOD, injuring him in the leg. The bullets were lodged in the leg. He was taken to the JFK. The doctors wanted to remove the bullets but he insisted that he be taken abroad…United States.”