Liberia: Police in Nimba Begin Crackdown on Criminals

As the Christmas and New year season draws near, the Ganta Detail of the Liberia National Police has begun cracking down on the growing criminal activities across the county.

According to the commander of Ganta Detail, Archie Dennis, the police have intensified night patrol and also raiding criminal hideouts across Ganta City to ensure that the citizens move about in peace.

Dennis said recently, the police arrested four notorious criminals on the Main Street of Ganta with lethal weapons, including cutlasses, scissors and knives used terrorize peaceful citizens.

“Those arrested were charged with numerous crimes, including illegal possession of lethal weapons, loitering and disorderly conduct,” said the Commander of Crime Services Department in Ganta, Preston Gonpue.

Those arrested include: Benjamin Cooper Jr., Elijar Kangar, Harris Roberts and Junior Dahn.

Meanwhile, a businessman, Vamuyah Dorleh, while traveling to Guinea recently, was robbed in broad daylight at about 3 pm on the main street of Ganta upon arrival from Monrovia.

Dorleh told this reporter that his bag, containing US$4,000 and several mobile phones, was forcefully taken from him by a group of men using cutlasses and other sharp objects.

The man, who was in tears, alleged that when he arrived on board the truck carrying goods to Guinea through Yekepa Border, he decided to disembark from the truck and get on board his private car.

“While I was getting down from the truck, some men armed with cutlasses and sharp objects surrounded me, beat me with cutlasses and took away my bag in the presence of some private security officers serving guard opposite Justina Bar and Restaurant,” he said.

“I cried for help, but nobody could come to my rescue, despite the nightclub being jam packed with people standing around, including the private security guard,” he said.

However, the report says that the police have arrested one of the main suspects, Prince Karakor and a private security man, Lawrence Gwaikolo, who was present at the time of the robbery while the police was in search of the main perpetrator who is known as Success Dennis, with his street name as ‘Successful’.

Both Price Karkor and Success Dennis are said to be notorious criminals and they have been in jail since July 18, 2021 for armed robbery. Unfortunately, they were outside going about his normal business since the month of August 2022.

Ganta is one of leading municipalities in Nimba and a key commercial and logistics hub, with arteries to Guinea, Ivory Coast and Southeastern Liberia.

At night the city is crowded with travelers, most of who sleep on the main street waiting for day break to continue their journeys.

At the same time, police are carrying out raids across Sanniquellie City, due to the unprecedented high rate of criminal activity in the area where broad day hijacking has intensified.

Reports reaching the Daily Observer suggest that the provincial capital is becoming very terrible for residents, both at night and day because of criminal activities.