FLASHBACK: (L-R) Weah during his address and some grieving relatives and loved ones victimized by growing insecurity
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia- Amidst the numerous unexplained deaths that have taken ove the country in recent times, the tone of President George Weah’s 5th annual State of the Nation Address did not actually elevate the scale of the problem.
Liberians work up to the deaths news of John Tubman on the September 22,2021, Liberia’s Peace Ambassador Dr. Williams R. Tolbert who was found dead in his residence and Maude Elliott who was also gruesomely murdered in her residence on October 31,2021, respectively among other tragic incidents.
In addition, just days before the annual message was the deaths of at least 29 innocent church crusade worshipers, including women and children, in a stampede triggered by wayward youths commonly called “Zogos” who held people at knife point to take their phones, money and other properties.
But during his state of the nation address on Monday, January 24, 2022, many expected for President Weah to put announce national policies on how to address the serious problem of narcotic drugs use and abuse and the wave of lawlessness in the social. Others also expected the Liberian leader to announce measure to reintegrate and rehabilitate the increasing number of “Zogos” across the county, as they on a daily basis pose threat to the lives of citizens and residents in various communities, rather than him sending a condolence message, declaring three days of national mourning to the families of the recent disaster in New Kru town.
Today, Liberia now has turn to a place where citizens can no longer freely without they are being attacked by those Zogos.
The issue of insecurity has been spoken about since president Weah took over as head of state in this nation. But the President rather told citizens some time ago to buy for themselves CCTV cameras, instead of putting measures in place on how to curtail the insecurity situation in Liberia.
“Zogos” are not just carrying on their operations during the night hours but they doing it in broad day light and sometimes in the presence of police officers without the officers taking any action toward them due to limited resources given to them.
Recently during the County meet, several citizens got injured and their properties were taken away from them by “Zogos”.
So far, the CDC government seems to have no remedy to these vexing problems, with none mentioned by the President in his just ended State of the Nation address.
The victims of the wave of insecurity have been both ordinary people and higher ups. Judges and other permanent Liberians have been victimized at the result of insecurity.
Due to the growing insecurity, citizens have to now use steel doors and window bars including their air condition and even meter on light poles for safety.
Imagine how terrible it is for women and girls. Today, “Zogos” are now searching in women underclothes for cell phones, because they believe that women usually put their phones and other items in their underclothes for protection due to the upsurge in their criminal activities.
Also characterizing the growing insecurity is the mysterious disappearances of children and adults in urban and rural areas in the country, due to lack of man power and logistics in the police force.
While top government officials are riding around Monrovia in luxury jeeps, some of which cost up to US$80,000.00, police in rural counties lack vehicles, motorbikes and other logistics. For example, the Police detachment in the central city of Gbarnga say they have only one old vehicle, while in other areas, the police don’t have a single vehicle.