Monrovia, Liberia – The Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots (CDC-COP) has given the Boakai-Koung administration a strict 72-hour deadline to dismiss three top security officials: Liberia National Police (LNP) Inspector General Gregory Coleman, Executive Protection Service (EPS) Director Sam Gaye, and National Security Agency (NSA) Director-General Prince C. Johnson II.
During a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, February 10, 2025, CDC-COP National Chairperson Foday N. Massaquoi accused these officials of human rights violations, corruption, and a failure to address a rising number of mysterious deaths under their leadership. Massaquoi also alleged that Prince C. Johnson II holds a Swiss passport, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and national security risks.
Massaquoi labeled Johnson as a perpetrator of human rights abuses, alleging that he employs torture and intimidation to silence citizens. He linked Johnson to the controversial death of Sgt. Bobby Mennah, a soldier reportedly found dead under suspicious circumstances.
The CDC-COP leader dismissed the official explanation that Sgt. Mennah shot himself five times in the head, calling it implausible. He further alleged that Johnson viewed Mennah as responsible for a protest by female soldiers against his previous appointment as Minister of Defense. Shortly after Johnson resigned from that position, Sgt. Mennah was found dead, and no accountability has followed.
CDC-COP claimed that Liberia has experienced a troubling surge in unexplained deaths since the Unity Party-led government took office on January 24, 2024. Massaquoi alleged that their investigations uncovered 178 suspicious deaths under the oversight of Johnson, Gaye, and Coleman, with no thorough investigations or legal actions taken.
He cited the “Kinjor Massacre” in Grand Cape Mount County as a particularly egregious example, accusing Police Inspector General Coleman of ordering officers to fire on unarmed civilians, resulting in the deaths of Bangalie Kamara, Essah Massaley, and Abdullah Kekerla.
Massaquoi further alleged that 59 of the reported mysterious deaths involved CDC supporters, some of whom were killed while wearing party apparel or died under questionable circumstances in police custody.
The CDC-COP Chairperson accused the Liberia National Police of sheltering criminal elements, particularly naming Assistant Commissioner for Crime Services Johnny Bolar Dean and Deputy Chief Investigator Sam Ballah. According to Massaquoi, both were previously dismissed for offenses including murder, corruption, and armed robbery but were later reinstated. He criticized their return to high-ranking positions as a mockery of justice.
Massaquoi accused EPS Director Sam Gaye of running a covert “killing squad” composed of ex-combatants to suppress political opposition. He condemned Gaye’s new motorcade policies, which require all ambulances, motorcycles, taxis, and tricycles to completely clear the roads whenever the president’s convoy is in motion, calling it an unnecessary display of power.
Massaquoi issued a warning that if the three officials were not dismissed within 72 hours, CDC would direct its National Chair, Atty. Augustus Janga Kowo, to establish an independent security force—dubbed the “CDC Police”—to protect party members from alleged state-sponsored violence.
“If Boakai fails to act within 72 hours, we will call on Chairman Janga Kowo to form the CDC Police, ensuring that our members are no longer victims of brutality and unexplained deaths,” Massaquoi declared.
He encouraged all patriotic Liberians to join the proposed CDC security force in defense of their party and fundamental rights.
Massaquoi also launched a direct attack on President Boakai, claiming that he is “the most vulnerable president in the world.” He alleged that underpaid EPS officers stationed at the Executive Mansion frequently beg for as little as US$5, raising concerns about the integrity of Boakai’s personal security.
He further warned that Boakai’s top security officials, including Johnson, Gaye, and Coleman, would ultimately abandon him if national unrest were to arise.
In addition to the 72-hour ultimatum, Massaquoi stated that if their demands were ignored, CDC-COP would seek international sanctions against the three security heads. These sanctions, he noted, would not only target the officials but also extend to their families, associates, and supporters.
“The die is cast. We will not relent in our demand for justice,” he concluded.
