Violence Saturday rocked Monrovia following two different altercations in Congo Town and Gardnersville between citizens and officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) caused by a predawn operations at the home of Mulbah Morlu, head the Solidarity Trust for a New Day (STAND), and execution of a court-issued eviction order.
Morlu was picked up during the operations at his home Saturday reportedly intended to recover a pistol said to have been seized during Friday’s STAND-organized anti-drug protest, but was later released the same day.
Leaving the headquarters of the LNP, Morlu said he would return today, Monday, for continuation of the legal process at the level of the court, adding that he turned the pistol in question over. But he could not say he was formally charged or not. He disclosed that he turned the gun in question over to the LNP, insisting “I am a law-abiding citizen.”
Prior to apprehending the STAND head, Monrovia rocked, turned tense and sour for citizens as the two separate violent altercations involving the LNP sparked panic, roadblocks, and calls for calm in communities from Gardnersville to the Freeway.
The violence that sent Monrovia on collision course began with a heavy police operation at the residence of Morlu, and ended with residents in Battery Factory erecting barricades to resist an eviction.
As the situation escalated, citizens in both areas were fleeing for safety as fears of further violence spread.
The drama started over a pistol seized during Friday’s anti-drug protest from what Morlu called “planted government operatives,” a claim Inspector General of Police Gregory O. W. Coleman denied, and said the firearm was taken from a police officer on duty.
Displaying the pistol before cameras during the protest, he said security volunteers had disarmed what they called a “government operative” who infiltrated the protest in civilian clothes.
According to Morlu, the group was on edge after the LNP boss disclosed before the protest that a suspect had been arrested and a vehicle allegedly carrying petrol bombs intercepted.
That warning, he said, pushed organizers to screen marchers. But IG Coleman rejected Morlu’s version, insisting the man was an officer attacked while performing his duties, and demanded the gun be returned immediately.
Morlu refused the police order, saying he would instead hand it over to the “international community.”
He accused police leadership of trying to create chaos by planting an armed plainclothes operative in the demonstration.
With no breakthrough to get the pistol on Friday, heavily armed officers early Saturday surrounded Morlu’s home in what appeared to be an effort to recover the weapon – an operation that drew swift criticism.
Commenting on the issue, former LDEA Deputy Director Hassan Fadiga warned on social media that the LNP’s public statements were “sensationalized and unnecessarily inflammatory.”
“The LNP must immediately de-escalate the situation between itself and Mr. Morlu before it results in an unnecessary act of violence leading to injury or loss of life,” he wrote, urging a peaceful, lawful resolution.
Also, former Bong County Representative George Mulbah weighed in, arguing that if police believe the firearm is state property, they should obtain a court order rather than force entry.
As tension billowed around Morlu’s Congo Town residence, a separate confrontation broke out in the Battery Factory community along the Monrovia Freeway over execution of a court order.
Residents in the Battery Factory and Jamaica Road communities clashed with police, leaving one police officer injured and also triggered widespread panic in the area.
Reports from the scene said confrontation mainly unfolded near the Jamaica Road Bridge, and led to disruption of normal traffic and business activities after angry residents erected roadblocks, burned tires, and hurled stones at law enforcement officers in an attempt to prevent the enforcement of the court’s directive.
Thick smoke filled from burning tires filled the sky and engulfed sections of the roadway, while the scenes of chaos frightened residents, commuters, and business owners fled for safety.
According to community members, tensions have been building for months over competing claims to a vast stretch of land reportedly extending from Logan Town to New Georgia.
According to residents, a woman is claiming ownership of the disputed property, a claim they fear could lead to the displacement of hundreds of families and businesses that have occupied the area for years.
The reported court-ordered enforcement operation quickly sparked resistance from community members, many of whom accused authorities of attempting to remove them without adequately addressing their concerns over ownership and residency.
As police attempted to restore order, the situation rapidly deteriorated, as some residents reportedly began throwing stones at officers, while others set tires ablaze and blocked major roads, effectively bringing traffic along portions of the Japan Freeway to a standstill.
The unrest also interrupted commercial activities as shops closed their doors and motorists were forced to seek alternative routes to avoid the confrontation.
The incident is a reminder of growing unresolved land ownership disputes witnessed over the last few months in several communities across Liberia.
Many residents expressed fears that without a transparent and peaceful resolution, the dispute could escalate further and expose vulnerable families to displacement, economic hardship, and insecurity.
As of Saturday morning, heavily armed police remained deployed in the area while anxious residents continued to gather around the Jamaica Road Bridge, with tensions remaining high.
There was not an immediate official statement on the operation or the circumstances surrounding the reported court order.
The latest confrontation highlights the urgent need for peaceful dialogue, judicial clarity, and effective conflict resolution mechanisms to prevent land disputes from descending into violence that threatens lives, livelihoods, and public order.
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