Two bothering villages between Electoral Districts Six and Nine in Lower Nimba County have experienced alarming lawlessness in recent time, thus prompting police involvement to curtail escalation of violence along the Tappita-Zekepa Highway.
Currently, residents of Moses Saye and Barkpeyee Villages are said to still be seeking refuge in nearby rural communities; following arson attack and looting of properties including livestock, food, cooking utensils, amongst others in the affected areas on the highway.
The outshoot of the violent attacks stemmed from a wrongful discharge of a single barrel gun in Moses Saye Village on Monday, March 24, 2028, by an eleven –year- old minor against a thirteen-year-old minor whose head was reportedly blown off as a result of said incident.
Subsequently, police inTappita were reportedly called on the crime scene as they conducted preliminary investigation and concluded that the incident was an accident. They then turned the body over to the family for burial through the town chief of Moses Village.
On Tuesday, 25th March, a multitude of citizens from Gblogea tumbled down on Moses Village, set ablaze houses as well as kitchens and made away with anything they could lay hands on in reprisal of the thirteen-years-old minor who was accidentally gunned down by his eleven-years-old colleague.
Seemingly not satisfied, the angry residents of Gblogea reportedly advanced to Barkpeyee Village and looted livestock- sheep, goats, chickens as well as cash and other properties as the dwellers took to their heels for safety.
Dismayed by the attacks, Madam Albertha Tuku Johnson, daughter of former Tappita Land Commissioner- A-M Johnson (deceased) who owned Barkpeyee Village, noted that the two minors attempted discharging a single barrel gun and out of ignorance, mistakenly the 11-yrs-old boy blew his friend’s head.
According to her, the police investigation established that the incident was an accident especially between two minors hence; the town chief was told to turn the body over to the family for burial.
However, Madam Johnson narrated that the deceased family and sympathizers took the law into their hands and dug hold (two feet) in front of the village owner- Moses Saye (deceased) widow’s house and buried the minor.
“They set houses and kitchens ablaze, burned mattresses on the tomb of Moses Saye and looted other things including rice. They also went to our village(Barkpeyeepa), thank God their gasoline finished but they burst doors opened and looted cash, sheep, goats, chicken and destroyed shelters for the impoverished dwellers,” Madam Johnson explained.
She lamented that for people to vandalize Barkpeyee Village where the incident did not occur was disheartening and unacceptable; especially so, according to her, when the people of Moses Village and Barkpeyee Village and those of Gblogea have all along lived in harmony and peace as neighbors.
Madam Johnson at the same time expressed outright disappointment over the reluctance of the local authorities of Electoral District Nine to come to the rescue of the affected villages that are under the same district.
Notwithstanding, Madam Johnson, former representative candidate of Nimba Electoral District Six, lauded the effort of the police for arresting four suspects of the arson and looting attacks on both villages, who are currently facing investigation in Tappita.
Meanwhile, Nimba District Nine Representative, Taa Wongbaye, has condemned the vandalism attributed to the single barrel incident. He said it is wrong for people to take law into their own hands.
Representative Wongbaye called for calm amongst the citizens, assuring that as lawmakers, they will work along with local authorities of both districts including the police to ensure that justice is served.
He, at the same time, cautioned the citizens against lawlessness, emphasizing that there is need that people live in peace and harmony for a stable society.
On the same development, Tappita Statutory District Superintendent- Lounbay Barlea, said they have been concerned over the incidents along the Tappita-Zekepa Highway.
Speaking on Voice of Tappita on Monday, March 31, 2025, Mr. Barlea disclosed that as local authorities, they had already planned and scheduled to visit the affected villages and meet with victims when the Sunday (March 30) violent incident in Tappita that took away Prince Moses’ life occurred.
According to him, their plan remains on course because they cannot sit supinely to allow lawlessness to undermine peace and security in any part of the county under their civil control.