DoloqueeMonrovia, August 31, 2023 — The Unity Party’s Standard Bearer and former Vice President of Liberia, H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has found himself at the center of an alarming controversy. Amidst his campaign tour of Montserrado County, Boakai embarked on a “three-day official visit to Ghana” on August 28, 2023. However, what was meant to be a routine trip quickly took a sinister turn, raising concerns about his safety and privacy.
Dubbed “Rescue 1” by his supporters, Amb. Boakai’s departure from the Roberts International Airport (RIA) appeared to have set off a chain reaction of events that have now unfolded into a complex narrative of political tension and privacy violation. According to UP spokesman Mo Ali, shortly after Amb. Boakai takeoff at around 7 AM via ASKY Airlines, Freedom FM, a radio station owned by the Deputy Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), claimed that Boakai had been urgently flown out of Liberia for medical reasons. This assertion was immediately picked up by members of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and government officials, who propagated the narrative that Boakai was unwell.
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“Moments after releasing false information to the public about JNB’s health, that which has now become the only campaign message of the miserably failed Weah-led CDC government, NSA Deputy Director, Sam Siryon, unlawfully released to journalists at his station and surrogates of the CDC a Close Circuit TV (CCTV) footage of the Unity Party’s Standard Bearer making his way through the airport terminal to the plane,” Ali posted.
Privacy Violation and Unprecedented Surveillance
Ali further pointed out, “The unauthorized released of CCTV footage which is part of Amb. Boakai’s PNR, by authorities of the RIA at the behest of President George Manneh Weah, to surrogates of the CDC is clear violation of Section 17.40.3 of the Liberia Civil Aviation Regulations, Volume XXI, No. 70. August 11, 2021.”
Emerging Threats and Growing Tensions
The escalating situation prompted an immediate response from the Rescue Mission Campaign, which launched an investigation into the motives behind the privacy violation. According to Mo Ali, the campaign’s intelligence efforts revealed that not only was Boakai under surveillance, but other high-ranking members of the Rescue Mission were also being closely monitored. This unsettling revelation led to the conclusion that there exists an imminent threat to Boakai’s life, allegedly orchestrated by elements within the CDC and the Liberian government.
“Our intelligence bureau has also found that other high ranking members of the Rescue Mission are being tracked on the order of President George Weah.”
A Call for International Attention
With Liberia at a critical juncture, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the US Embassy, the European Union, and other international stakeholders are being urged to closely monitor the situation. The release of sensitive information and the alleged threats against Amb. Boakai’s life could potentially undermine the integrity of the upcoming elections and the broader political stability of the nation.
As the tension between the Unity Party and the ruling CDC intensifies, Liberia faces the challenge of preserving its democratic principles and ensuring the safety and privacy of its political figures. The next steps taken by the government, the international community, and the opposing political factions will undoubtedly shape the course of the nation’s immediate future.
