Early Thursday morning August 22, 2024, the headquarters of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) became a scene of chaos between the Liberia National Police (LNP) and a group of partisans of CDC.
The situation was a result of an early morning raid conducted by the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) around the headquarters of the former ruling CDC. The raid reportedly started by 5: 00 am. Multiple sources said LDEA officers went at the back of the CDC headquarters to raid ghettos with a search and seizure warrant on a property behind the CDC compound.
Sources said the raid allegedly sparked uproar among residents in the area, particularly women who began raising alarms. Their outcry quickly drew other residents, who came out in numbers to resist the LDEA operation.
The LDEA had to pull out of the siege and seizure grounds when it met stiff resistance from at-risk youths otherwise known as Zogos in the vicinity when they (Zogos) started throwing stones at the law enforcement officers.
The CDC’s involvement is believed to have been triggered by a social media post from its Secretary General Jefferson T. Koijee who is the immediate past Mayor of Monrovia City and a United State-sanctioned personality.
Jefferson Tamba Koijee in his early Thursday morning post on his official Facebook page wrote, “Heavily armed state securities are at our party headquarters for the second times this early morning hours engaging into sporadic shooting that sent panic and pandemonium among citizens and partisans in and around the party headquarters.
“We are calling the immediate attention of ECOWAS, AU, International community, Liberians and CDCians in particular to this unscrupulous action of the Boakai administration that is geared towards disrupting our hard earned peace,” Koijee said. He quoted the CDC as calling on the international community that the peace of the country is far greater than Boakai and his gang of political desperadoes.
In the protest against the police action, group of CDCians as well as some residents were seen burning tires on Tubman Boulevard road which connects Paynesville City to Central Monrovia. Their actions effectively led to the blocking of traffic making it impossible for vehicles to pass in front of the CDC headquarters.
Our reporter who visited the scene observed glass bottles and stones being hurled from the CDC compound on the main Boulevard while police responded with teargas in the compound of the CDC. The situation brought normal working activities at LoneStar Cell MTN to a standstill as the DCC headquarters is directly opposite the GSM company head office.
Our reporter said a prominent member of CDC who is also Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa defied the protesting crowd in front of the CDC headquarters, disembarked his convoy under heavy security protection and commanded the angry Cdcians to return inside the compound.
Our reporter said Speaker Koffa was seen instructing the demonstrators, who were throwing stones and glass bottles towards Tubman Boulevard and the police and yelling saying, “Y’all need to go back in y’all fence.”
Our reporter further said Cdcians refused to listen to the instruction of Speaker Koffa and was forced by his security to leave the premises of the protest site. Meanwhile, Minister of Information Jerolinmek M. Piah has condemned the attitude of supporters and partisans of CDC to attack officers who have gone to execute their duty in accordance with the law.
Minister Piah said three police officials sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at a government hospital, while two government vehicles with employees going to work were attacked by some CDC partisans.
He said it is disgraceful that CDC, who led the country for six years, will be causing chaos and attacking police officers; saying that the government will not allow them to hold the peace of the country under hostage or throw the country into dark days. The government spokesperson said CDCians continue to use their party headquarters to create chaos. He added that the National Securities Council is having a meeting to address the situation.
For his part, CDC Secretary General Jefferson T. Koijee reassured partisans that the leadership of the party will continue to stand by them to ensure their safety is secured.
Koijee said there will be an emergency meeting today, August 23, 2024 at the party headquarters and will be addressed by their political leader, former President George M. Weah. He said after the meeting their partisans will be instructed into two dimensions to avail themselves for President Joseph N. Boakai to murder them.
“The incident today at our party headquarters will be the first and last. We will keep alarming so that the world will know that cdcians mean well for this nation because we keep the peace as opposition for twelve years and six years as ruling party,” Koijee said.
At the same time, Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph has called for an immediate and transparent investigation into this latest incident and for those responsible for ordering and carrying out this illegal raid to be held accountable.
He urged all parties involved to exercise restraint and to work towards restoring peace and stability in the county. He said the political environment must be one of respect, dialogue, and adherence to legal norms, not one marred by intimidation and unlawful actions.
“Again, as your Senator, I reaffirm my commitment to defending the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of civil liberties for all citizens and political parties. I will continue to advocate for the necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and to ensure that our county and country remain a beacon of democratic values and justice,” he said.
