The ‘abandoned’ Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) office at the Kablaken Border Crossing in Maryland County has raised serious security concerns.
By that, officers assigned there have continued to operate under “difficult conditions” at one of the key entry points with La Côte d’Ivoire.
The facility, reportedly constructed during the tenure of United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), has not been repaired for several years. The roof has collapsed in sections, parts of the structure have deteriorated, and the building is no longer fit for official use.
As a result, immigration officers stationed at the checkpoint have been forced to work from temporary structures, and private homes, as they do border surveillance, enforcing immigration laws, and protecting the territorial integrity.
The county commander, Abdul Jallahquay, described the situation as a “major obstacle for effective border security. The condition of this facility is affecting our daily operations,” Jallahquay said. We are monitoring cross-border movements, and processing travelers, but we lack a proper office to work from.”
The county, the commander, detachment has repeatedly informed LIS Headquarters in Monrovia about the deteriorating condition of the building, but no rehabilitation efforts have been made.
He said, the local office does not have the financial capacity to renovate the structure, and has meanwhile, appealed to the government to urgently intervene.
Kablaken serves as one of the busiest informal crossing points between Liberia and La Côte d’Ivoire. Security analysts and local authorities warned that operating without a functional immigration facility increases the risk of undocumented entry, smuggling, and other cross-border vices.
Residents and community leaders have called on government, and partners to prioritize the rehabilitation of the Kablaken LIS office to strengthen border management and national security in the southeast.
