Monrovia – The STAND-Led Liberia Protest Coalition has dismissed President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s national address on the ongoing US$19 million cocaine seizure scandal, describing the speech as “long on promises but short on answers” and renewing calls for an independent international investigation into the case.
In a statement issued Tuesday and signed by STAND Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu, the coalition argued that the President failed to provide concrete details, including the identities of suspects, timelines for prosecution, or specific measures being taken to ensure accountability.
The coalition alleged that Liberia is facing a worsening narcotics trafficking crisis and claimed that individuals connected to the administration may be implicated in the scandal.
“We are faced with a growing drug trafficking problem where some of President Boakai’s officials are allegedly in the middle of an egregious narcotics trafficking ring,” the statement said.
STAND further claimed that information emerging from its own inquiries points to the possible involvement of senior government officials, members of the security sector, local and foreign business figures, presidential advisers, and individuals allegedly linked to the President’s family.
According to the coalition, the gravity of the allegations demands a level of scrutiny beyond what it considers a government-led investigation.
“Liberians were expecting names, timelines, and concrete actions. Instead, they received another carefully crafted public relations speech asking the nation to remain calm while those with the greatest access to evidence are given more time to control the narrative and potentially evade justice,” the statement added.
The group criticized President Boakai’s appeal for patience, arguing that it mirrors previous calls from law enforcement authorities for additional time to conduct investigations.
“The Liberian people have heard enough assurances. They have heard enough promises. They have heard enough declarations of ‘zero tolerance’ without measurable results,” STAND said.
The coalition expressed concern over the role of state institutions in investigating the case, contending that some agencies involved could themselves become subjects of scrutiny.
“No credible democracy asks the public to blindly trust a process in which potential witnesses, possible subjects of inquiry, and investigators operate within the same chain of command,” the statement asserted.
As a result, STAND reiterated its demand for what it described as a hybrid investigative mechanism involving reputable international partners and independent domestic actors.
The coalition said such an arrangement would help guarantee transparency, credibility, and public confidence in the outcome of the investigation.
“Liberia cannot wait indefinitely while evidence grows cold, memories fade, and confidence erodes,” the statement said. “The future of our nation is too important for delay, excuses, or managed narratives.”
The group concluded by warning that both Liberians and the international community are closely monitoring developments surrounding the case.
“The people are watching. The world is watching. The time for public relations has expired. The time for accountability has arrived,” Morlu declared.
The statement comes amid mounting public interest in the multi-million-dollar cocaine seizure, one of the largest drug-related cases in Liberia’s recent history, and growing calls from political and civil society actors for transparency in the ongoing investigation.
