By Jerry T. Myers, Jr. email: switchnaas1988@gmail.com
Sanniquellie, Liberia- The Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, Senator has stressed the need to give more support to various Liberian security agencies to help curtail the increase in violence across the country.
Senator Thomas Grupee noted that, when more support including training and logistics are provided to security personnel assigned in rural Liberia particularly the police, it will help prevent some of the violent activities being experienced in several parts of the country.
His comment was in reaction to New Year’s Day violence in Glahn Town, Gbi and Doru, Nimba Electoral District# 9, which led to the death of two men-Eric Beah and Oldpa Gbaysaygee and the destruction of about four houses.
According to reports, the violence started when misunderstanding broke out between the two men while on a drinking spree.
That situation led to Gbaysaygee allegedly stabbing Beah, who reportedly died upon arrival at the Jackson Fiah Doe Hospital in Tappita City.
When the death news of Eric Beah reached his friends and family members in Sarlay, Nimba county and Glahn Town, they allegedly stormed the home of Gbaysaygee and mobbed him to death. Several houses were also set ablaze, and a number of properties were destroyed, while several other residents in Glahn Town were injured.
The situation was later put under control following the intervention of personnel of the Police Support Unit from the Gbarnga Regional Hub in Bong County.
The Nimba Senator, who was in the county days following the incident, promised to schedule a security meeting with members of his committee and other stakeholders of the security sector to explore ways to empower police stations in rural Liberia.
‘’ As chairman on National Defense and Security in this country, I will go back to the Liberian Senate for us to call for a security meeting to see how to handle these kinds of issues and how to prevent it from happening again in this county and country. While in Nimba, I was amazed to realize that our police stations lack manpower, especially arm police officers and logistics to speedily respond to crime. This is one of the major reasons why these things are happening,’’ Senator Grupee explained.
The upcoming meeting is expected to focus on how funding can be raised to ensure that each police station in rural Liberia be given at least three motorcycles or a vehicle and armed police officers to enable timely respond to emergency.
Meanwhile, Senator Grupee has called on chiefs, elders and commissioners across Liberia to report unusual things to the police or community watch forum members in their respective communities, so as to help minimize violence in the country.