Monrovia, August 28, 2025 – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has dismissed the top leadership of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in what is being described as a dramatic move to revamp the country’s fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
An Executive Mansion statement issued Thursday announced the immediate dismissal of LDEA Director General Anthony K. Souh, Deputy Director for Administration Gwee K. Porkpah, and Deputy Director for Operations Sebastian Farr. The release cited “administrative reasons” for the sweeping changes.
In their place, the President appointed an Interim Management Team drawn from the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the National Security Agency (NSA). Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitzgerald T. M. Biago of the LNP will serve as Officer-in-Charge, while Mr. Ernest T. Tarpeh of the NSA takes on the role of Deputy for Administration and Investigation. Assistant Commissioner of Police Patrick B. Kormazu of the LNP has been designated Deputy for Operations.
The Executive Mansion noted that the interim team will report directly to the Minister of Justice, who is tasked with keeping the President regularly informed of developments at the agency.
“This action is aimed at strengthening our collective resolve in achieving a country free of illicit drugs and substances,” President Boakai said in the release. “The government remains committed to reversing the current unacceptable situation.”
The President also ordered a 90-day review of the LDEA’s structure, functions, and operations, with the Justice Ministry expected to recommend reforms that could reshape the agency’s future.
Liberia has in recent years faced a surge in drug trafficking and abuse, with narcotics linked to rising crime rates, youth addiction, and community violence. Critics have long accused the LDEA of being weak, underfunded, and riddled with inefficiency, despite its crucial mandate.
The President’s move signals an aggressive new phase in the national anti-drug campaign, bringing the country’s top security agencies directly into the frontline battle.
Whether this shake-up will deliver the results Liberians are yearning for remains to be seen, but Thursday’s announcement has already sent shockwaves across the security and political landscape.
