Some concern citizens of Liberia have called on President Joseph Nuyma Boakai to officially confirm and reassure Liberians that the Liberia-Guinea border situation has been resolved.
In an open letter to President Boakai dated August 16,2026, the citizens disclosed that since February to date, residents of the communities along the Makona River in Sorlumba, Foya District, Lofa County have been living through a period of tension that has shaken the daily lives of ordinary Liberians.
According to them, what began as a dispute over territory and mining activity has become, for thousands of their brothers and sisters, a question of safety, sovereignty, and dignity. They disclosed that by then, Guinean security personnel crossed into disputed areas near Sorlumba, halted artisanal mining operations, seized equipment, and for a brief period hoisted their national flag on Liberian soil.
“As a result, residents of Baladu, Solunma, Lepalu, and Mahcustom were forced to flee their homes. Farms were abandoned mid-season, markets closed, children were pulled from school, fear replaced normal life. We acknowledge and appreciate the swift steps taken by your administration, the visit by the Minister of Internal Affairs,” the citizens noted.
They added, “From walking the towns, sitting with elders under the palaver huts, and listening to mothers in the markets we must tell you plainly the fear has not left. Furthermore, peace is fragile because in Foya today, due to lack of clarity. Rumors travel faster than official statements. The Silence from the center is being filled with speculation at the border, residents are asking so many questions.”
The Concerns citizens of Liberia is at the same time, calling on President Boakai to officially confirm in plain language through the Ministry of Information, in partnership with local radio stations in Lofa to issue a clear, public and unambiguous statement on the current status of the Liberia-Guinea border at Sorlumba.
According to them, the confirmation should focus on sovereignty over Sorlumba and the affected towns remains intact, the Guinean forces have fully withdrawn, which territory is under dispute, and among others.
“We ask that this statement be broadcast in English, Kpelle, Lorma, and Kissi so that no elder is left to interpret second-hand,” they added. The citizens also requested that the immediate and visible deployment of a Joint Security presence in Foya District comprising AFL, LNP, and the LIS.
The group also used that means to call on the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Superintendent of Lofa County, and relevant members of the Legislature from Lofa to return to Baladu, Solunma, Lepalu, Mahcustom, and Sorlumba for a series of town-hall meetings within 30 days.
They are also concerned about Liberia’s engagement with ECOWAS and the Mano River Union on border management, whether a joint border demarcation and survey of the Makona River area be conducted, with what timeline, and with community observers, the interim policy on mining, farming, and land rights in the disputed/adjoining areas so citizens are not criminalized for feeding their families.
“Mr. President, we are not asking for war, all we are asking for is clarity. They added that Liberia has a long history of resolving differences through dialogue, through law, and through the courage of its people. They citizens noted that the events in Sorlumba are a test not of our strength alone, but of our commitment to every citizen, no matter how far they live from Monrovia.
