Those surrendering include one of Liberia’s most notorious former rebel commanders, Joshua Milton Blahyi, formerly known as Gen. Butt Naked; General Ofore Diah, also known as Iron Jacket, a former rebel commander of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, LURD; and General Abednego Zleh.
According to government sources, the men reportedly surrendered over the weekend and are currently undergoing investigation by state security in relation to their involvement in last week’s boarder attack.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer, one of the former generals wanted in connection with the cross-border crisis, Joshua Milton Blahyi, former Gen. Butt Naked, who is now an ordained preacher, confirmed that he and the others reported to the police over the weekend.
Categorically denying any link to the ensuring border crisis, Blahyi said that after reporting first to the police, he was then taken to the Information Ministry, but was released immediately thereafter.
“I strongly deny any link to the situation going on at the border. Since 2007, as people who know me can attest to, I have been spending my time and resources with other things including my Christian ministry and also trying to help former combatants to become rehabilitated to become reintegrated into society. So there is no way, I could be associated with any kind of violence. Nobody can produce any evidence that I have been involved in acts of violence,” Blahyi emphatically maintained.
Explaining that he received a call over the weekend from the Chief Intelligence Officer of the Police, Blahyi said that he was one of an additional seven suspects, whose name were not initially made public when the government announced the names of 10 suspects wanted in connection to the border crisis.
“I believe the government acted prematurely and immaturely by including my name as a suspect especially since they do not have any evidence of my involvement in the situation at the border,” Blahyi averred.
When he was escorted to the Information Ministry to meet with Minister Lewis Brown, Blayhi said that even in his meeting the minister, Min. Brown looked in his face and said that he didn’t seem to be a man involved with any kind of violence.
“There was no substance in my being linked to the Ivory Coast border fracas along the Grand Gedeh border region,” Blahyi said. This is because, he said, he now finds himself too busy making foreign travels on behalf of his ministry and former combatants.
Warning that the government’s ‘premature’ action could have serious implications on national security, Blahyi called on the security intelligence apparatus to act more responsibly in their investigation of the situation at the border.
“Without evidence, simply creating a list of names with people primarily from the South Eastern region could create the impression that this particular group of people is being witch-hunted. Some of these people could feel threatened and as a matter of fact, some of their lives are presently at risk. This could lead them to even joining with the insurgents to seek their own safety,” Blahyi said.
Blayhi, along with the other two former generals reported themselves to the authorities after they announced the names of suspects wanted in connection with the Ivorian border crisis.
Some of the suspects include, Isaac Sayou Chegbo (alias Bob Marley) Ex-MODEL General; Amos Cheyee (Former Chief of Staff of MODEL); Bobby Sharpee (alias Julu), Former Frontline Commander of MODEL; Gen. Congbe Norman (alias Col. One Way); and Nehzee Barway (Former MODEL General). Others include Ofore Diah (Former LURD frontline Commander), and Tailey Gladier (alias Igwe), among others.
Meanwhile, the others are said to still be at large
Upon her return from the United States, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf called an emergency security meeting, which was later followed by a visit to Ivory Coast.
During her weekend visit to that country, both the Liberian and Côte d’Ivoire, United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the United Nations in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) agreed to exercise maximum vigilance and cooperation, thus intensifying their activities in the border area, in order to protect citizens in that region.
The communiqué, among other things, said air assets, such as helicopters, are also currently in full use to complement ground patrols on each side of the border.
The two missions have been in constant touch to coordinate their response and both have taken immediate measures, including deploying reinforcement to their respective areas along the common Ivorian-Liberian border, which is a densely forested and extremely porous terrain.
According to the communiqué, the parties acknowledged that Liberia has taken steps to secure its territories by the temporary closure of its borders with Cote d’Ivoire, and a temporary suspension of alluvial mining activities in all areas along the common border.
The participants of established sub-committees stressed that these tragic events have demonstrated the need to continue to reinforce the cooperation between the two neighboring countries, supported by their two partners, UNMIL and UNOCI, for the consolidation of peace in the sub-region.
Both governments reiterated their commitment to working closely to stabilize the border area with an aim to render it peaceful and stable for sustainable development.
The parties, among other agreements, also agreed to reinforce their respective military and Police on each side of the borders to ensure better collaboration and coordination between the forces through the exchange of information and common actions, and to take steps towards strengthening relationship between the security forces and the populations on each side of the border through civilian-military activities and better communications.
Wednesday’s meeting followed a high level ministerial session held also in Abidjan on 2 May 2012, which discussed security matters along the two countries’ borders, including the situation of ex-combatants operating on either sides of the border, and actions to reactivate the Joint Commission between Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire.
