from our Monrovia Contributors
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – The Liberian House of Representatives has officially waded into the growing controversy surrounding the National Fula Security of Liberia (NFSL), summoning top justice and security officials to provide an urgent briefing on what lawmakers are calling a “grave threat” to national stability.
In a unanimous vote, the plenary cited Minister of Justice Cllr. Natu Oswald Tweh and Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman to appear before the body next week. The decision follows a week of mounting public anxiety and internal government friction regarding the emergence of the ethnically branded security group.
“Parallel Structures” Under Fire
The move by the Legislature was triggered by a communication from the House leadership, which raised alarms over the “naming, branding, and paramilitary-style training” of the NFSL. Lawmakers expressed deep concern that the existence of such a group suggests the emergence of “parallel security structures” that could undermine the authority of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
“History has taught us that when security is decentralized into tribal or sectarian hands, it is the ordinary citizen who pays the price,” one lawmaker remarked during the floor debate. “We cannot have a ‘National Fula Security’ anymore than we can have a ‘National Kru’ or ‘National Kpelle’ security. Security must remain a state monopoly.”
The Legal and Political Deadlock
The summons comes at a time of visible discord within the Executive Mansion. While the Ministry of Justice has already issued a formal ban on the group—labeling it an unauthorized militia—Presidential Press Secretary Kula Fofana has publicly questioned the severity of the crackdown. Fofana’s suggestion that the group be “guided and regularized” rather than disbanded has left legislators demanding a unified policy from the administration.
The House is expected to grill the summoned officials on three primary points:
- Legal Status: Whether any official at any level of government issued a temporary permit or “handshake agreement” for the group to operate.
- Scope of Activity: The extent of the “drilling” and “training” activities captured in viral social media videos.
- Enforcement: What concrete steps are being taken to ensure the Ministry of Justice’s ban is actually being enforced on the ground.
Constitutional Stakes
Legal experts point to Article 80(b) of the Liberian Constitution, which strictly prohibits organizations from training or equipping any group to use physical force or coercion. The House Judiciary Committee has signaled that if the NFSL is found to have bypassed state regulatory bodies, it could face permanent dissolution and its organizers could face criminal prosecution.
The appearance of Minister Tweh and IG Coleman is scheduled for next Tuesday’s session, which is expected to be held in open plenary due to the high level of public interest.