Liberian Journalist Calls for Action

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ADNews-Monrovia: In a scathing open letter to National Security Advisor Samuel Kofi Woods, Sekou Cheriff, the Chief Executive Officer of Voice of Liberia (VOL) and a prominent Liberian journalist, has called out the government’s failure to address serious human rights abuses under the current administration of President Joseph Boakai. The letter, which is  Caron Copy (CC) to the Chief Justice, the U.S. Embassy, the African Union,  Chairperson on Defense and Intelligence at the 55th Legislature, ECOWAS, the European Union, and others, expresses deep concern about the continued erosion of civil liberties and calls for decisive action.

Sekou’s letter, filled with a strong sense of indignation, highlights the growing number of documented human rights violations in Liberia.

Below is Sekou Sheriff’s full letter written to the National Security Advisor, Samuel Kofi Woods,  on  February 10, 2025

I write to you with a seething indignation borne of the overwhelming evidence of over 22 documented human rights violations perpetrated under the current President Boakai regime. These atrocities—including state-sanctioned brutality, extrajudicial killings, and systematic repression—have left our nation scarred. Your once-respected voice, which inspired hope and demanded justice, now echoes with a silence that is as damning as it is deplorable. The people of Liberia expected a principled leader in you, but your inaction speaks volumes of your betrayal.

Your position, which should be defined by steadfast defense of human dignity, has instead been marked by an appalling silence in the face of grotesque abuses. The current administration’s flagrant disregard for basic human rights has been compounded by your failure to act decisively. It is unconscionable that someone who once championed the cause of justice would now turn a blind eye to the ongoing carnage and systematic erosion of civil liberties—a betrayal that smacks of complicity.

The disgraceful conduct of Inspector General Gregory Colman further deepens this betrayal. Under his command, the police force has been infiltrated by hardened criminals, and the normalization of excessive force has become routine. His relentless abuse has not only endangered countless lives but has also sullied the reputation of our national security institutions. Your failure to confront and expose this corruption is a direct affront to the very principles you once held dear.

Each of the 22 documented human rights violations is a testament to the systemic decay that has festered under your watch. Cases like the tragic demise of Amanda Nebo, the custodial death of Morris Gomo, and the brutal killings of Bangalie Kamara, Essah Massaley, and even a 17-year-old student—James Kandy—are not isolated incidents. They reveal a disturbing pattern of state-sponsored violence that has left communities shattered and trust in our institutions irrevocably broken. Your silence in the face of these appalling injustices is a stain on your legacy.

Your transformation from a vocal critic of tyranny during the Charles Taylor era to a muted and complicit figure in today’s oppressive regime is both ironic and infuriating. Once, you were a beacon of hope, exposing the brutalities of a despotic system; now, you stand idly by as political expediency and personal ambition enable the rise of corruption and impunity. This betrayal of your past convictions is a bitter pill for Liberians who believed in the possibility of a just and accountable state.

It is high time that you shed the cloak of silence and reclaim the mantle of principled leadership. The heinous abuses continuing under your watch demand an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation—not just into the actions of Inspector General Colman and his cronies, but into the broader machinery of state oppression that you have allowed to flourish. The international community and every Liberian are watching closely, and your current inaction only deepens the wounds of a nation that yearns for accountability and reform.

In conclusion, I call on you, Samuel Kofi Woods, to break your silence and act decisively to restore the integrity of our national security apparatus. The legacy of past misdeeds, reminiscent of the brutal Charles Taylor regime, must not be repeated under your watch. Our nation deserves a leader who stands up for justice and human dignity, not one who permits the relentless abuse of power. The time for excuses has long passed; the time for action is now. History will judge you not by your words, but by the actions you take in the coming days.