“No Selfish Political Gains From Drug Crisis”

A former soldier of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Captain Jerry K. Kollie, has warned the governing Unity Party and the opposition community of a mass citizen resistance toward any attempts to pursue personal political goals out of the current drug crisis in Liberia.

In the wake of the recent US$19.2m and US$317m drug busts and the attending narratives and revelations, Captain Kollie  said taking cue from troubling drug-related stories in other countries, the ongoing drug saga in Liberia seriously borders on  national security, international reputation, economic survival, and political stability of the country; as such, no individual, group of people, irrespective of status or position, whether the sitting government or elements of the opposition, would survive the wrath of the Liberian people if found wanting to selfishly gain political and economic benefits from the nation’s drug situation.

Speaking in Gbarnga, Bong County, on Sunday, July 26, 2026, Captain Kollie emphasized that Liberians have, particularly in the last one year, indicated through their vocal speeches and public actions, that they don’t see any sacred cow in the context of any political proximity or relationship as far as the fight against drugs is concerned, and that any government or political interest groups found culpable or implicated in these dangerous drug trades and traffickings, will not survive the anger of the Liberian masses.

He noted that in the numbers of drug busts, particularly in the period of the last five years, including now, the Unity Party government and the immediate past administration of the CDC are both broader institutions of interest if not suspects, and therefore, they both must lower their defensive propaganda tones and desist from rhetorics and actions that appear to be geared toward cover-ups and blame shifting for political survival.

“The Liberian people are watching these situations and processes with the required attention and interest, and no one or group, no matter what, from the Unity Party and the CDC would be allowed to pursue or achieve a selfish political goal out of this drug saga while the economic and political stability, as well as the international reputation of our country remain at stake,” Captain Kollie stressed.

He recalled two particularly shocking drug busts of US$100m and around US$40m during the administration of the CDC, and how the investigation and prosecution of suspects, as well as the conclusion of those cases still remain a painful misery on the minds of many Liberians, a situation that has added fuel to the interest and anxiety of the Liberian people in the current US,$19.2 Million and US$317 Million drug discoveries under the Unity Party administration.

Captain Kollie said while he recognizes the constitutional right of Unity Party and CDC officials and supporters to participate in national conversations such as the drug matter, the two political groups and their supporters must not attempt to make this grave national issue a point of political grandstanding and cover-up for partisans and allies who may be found implicated.

Kollie called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to closely keep his eye on the ongoing investigation, particularly within the ranks of the Liberia National Police, and enlarge the scope of the investigation by seeking and summoning the expertise of some former (inactive) professional investigators who are willing and available to work along with relevant state security agencies to contribute to what he calls an important national cause, in order to balance intelligence and remove political clouds and perceptions.

He commended Liberia’s international partners, particularly the United States Government for availing valuable intelligence and in some cases, crucial resource support to facilitate these drug busts and remove other potential security threats that may be hanging over Liberia.

It can be recalled that following the RIA US$19m drug bust in June, Captain Kollie, called for an investigation and reinforced monitoring of the fishing industry and Liberia’s territorial waters, as the country still seeks concrete answers to the questions of who brought in the drugs and where they were stored before being transported to the airport. This, he said would bring the government closer to finding an answer to the important question of how the narcotics entered the country, adding that if the supply lines are not identified and cut, it would be a situation of “hauling water in a basket.”

Kollie’s recommendation for government to closely monitor the sea coast and Liberia’s territorial waters appeared to have been validated by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. Oshald Tweh when he recently disclosed that state security seized a firearm, communication and GPS sets, swimming (live jackets), and StarLink internet equipment, among other items during the US$317 Million drug bust on the RIA highway.

He also highlighted the possibility that these drugs may be coming through what he described as Liberia’s volnunerable territorial waters, aided and abetted by unscrupulous fishing vessels and boats. This, he said, must claim the immediate attention of the government through the Coast Guard of the Ministry of National Defense and other relevant intelligence agencies.

He referenced cases of how illegal arm dealers and drug traffickers operating on high sea and large rivers, have exploited and continue to exploit the vulnerability or deliberate loopholes in the maritime operations of particularly weaker countries to push their trade.

Captain Kollie recommended also that the government, through the Liberia Airport Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority, investigates and monitor the operation of private airstrips by some concession companies, amid reports of a private airstrip being operated by one of the country’s major concessions in western Liberia.