The NEWS
(Monrovia)
T. Michael Johnny
7 October 2008
Monrovia — Residents of Bushrod Island have complained about the increase in acts of robberies in the once viable iron ore shipment base located at Bong Mines Company compound, and a notorious hideout popularly called "Didicon" which is directly opposite the former company.
Residents who talked to this paper in separate interviews over the weekend alleged that most of the notorious robbers were once part of various warring factions during the 2003 round of fighting.
Predicated upon the upsurge in hijackings and other heinous crimes permeated against residents, their interim Chairman Titus Toe called on the Police through the Ministry of Justice to deploy the newly trained Emergency Response Unit to weed out criminals in these two areas and also break down ghettoes.
The densely criminal infested community, according to victims, is also infamous for selling a range of dangerous drugs and other stolen items thereby posing deviant threat.
But, the angry residents told this paper that they were prepared, with the help of the police, to give information and other relevant details on hardened criminals and their hideouts.
Accordingly, residents also hinted that these criminals usually pose in strategic routes along the Bong Mines pier where small passenger, fishing as well as large vessels chartered by CEMENCO and others usually berth.
The situation has also prompted Maryland County Senator John Ballout to call for police intervention in curbing out criminals after several Marylanders were recently attacked while returning from the County by ships on a business trip.
"The situation is very dangerous; the police need to respond quickly", the Senator was quoted as saying.
Mr. Toe also alleged that several Chinese nationals who are engaged in fishing activities are often attacked during the day with cutlasses.
Mr. Toe further explained that the General Manager of INTERBURGO, Korean national JS Park was robbed of US$13,000 as well as an unspecified amount of Liberian dollars while fueling his ship within the area.
Continuing, Mr. Toe also said criminals attacked a truck conveying cement, while another truck, carrying rice was also attacked. "These attacks are frequent and we want government to intervene, otherwise the situation would be worse someday," he noted.
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I am not pleased about continuous news about arm robbers in Monrovia. If Liberia have to progress, curbing criminal gang activities must be a priority of the Unity Party Lead Government.What will foreign investors say about the country when they also are being rob?
My advice to the national security forces most particularly, the Liberia National Police is this; If you can not control these criminal activities by patroling those areas reported as high crime rate communities at night,your hands are going to be tie as the Christmas and New Year holidays season are approching.